It’s been another day partially consumed by running around dealing with the insurance company and auto body repair shops. The rest involved cleaning house and the bathing dog in preparation for holiday traveling. I find that I am grateful for simple things this evening, including the laughter I can hear from downstairs where my kids are watching some goofy television show. I so appreciate laughter–the sound of it, particularly my kids’ as they enjoy themselves brings a huge smile to my face. I recognize that I need to laugh much more often than I do, and as I am in the process of thinking about things I want to bring into or let go of for 2012, I am committing myself to laughing more.
In a retreat I attended last month on overcoming the stress of having lost a job or home, we talked about the benefits of laughter and I was introduced to laughter yoga. Laughing helps alleviate physical as well as mental/emotional symptoms of dis-ease. Check out this article about how laughter really is the best medicine for what ails you: http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm. One interesting thing about the affects of laughter on the body and mood is that your body doesn’t really know if you’re laughing for real or if you’re faking it. If you suddenly burst into laughter as if you’re laughing at the funniest thing you’ve ever seen, your body can’t distinguish that from an actual spontaneous episode of laughing at something for real. Every once in a while, just for the heck of it, I force myself to start laughing. Sometimes the whole thing is so ridiculous that I start laughing for real and other times I turn it off as quickly as I turned it on. What’s important is that the body reacts the same way whether it’s “for real” or not. Given that knowledge, why wouldn’t one start a laughing regimen as part of a plan to improve overall wellbeing? I plan to try it.
I am also grateful this evening for the assistance of a friend who was very helpful and supportive when I called her yesterday after I learned about Michal’s accident. I called her right after Michal called me, and burst into tears as I told her what had happened. She provided a sympathetic ear and an offer to help in any way. After I talked to her I was able to take a deep breath and pull myself together to go help Michal. The fact that this “friend” is my ex-partner adds a layer of both complication and appreciation. Navigating and negotiating different relationships with former significant others requires a number of elements including the willingness to forgive, let go of anger, resentment and all kinds of impediments, and an earnest desire to create a new relationship. I’ve been really fortunate to have a very good relationship with my ex-husband; which we originally agreed to because it was in the best interest of our children. Now I count him as a good friend and am glad to remain connected to him in a different way.
My current ex-partner and I are still navigating how to morph our relationship; but we still show up for one another when need arises–like when I called her yesterday about Michal’s accident. I probably called her 1o times between that initial call and today’s trip to the auto body shop (from which she gave us a ride home). I am grateful that while we figure out what kind of relationship we’re going to have we’re still communicating and actively working on it. How it turns out is entirely up to us. That is a good thing, because I’m taking some new approaches to my life as I approach 2012. And being in “right relationship” with the people in my life is high on the list. May it be so!
