Maybe You Can Laugh

My friend Joe has what I believe, with all of my heart, to be the best laugh in the whole entire world. It’s loud but not obnoxiously so. It’s on the deeper side, not screechy and it has an air of mischief to it, like if you understand what he’s laughing about, if you’re in on the joke, you’re just as hilarious and witty and wonderful and to feel that way about yourself is a pretty great feeling. So, when I woke up today to this video he sent of himself cackling at the shit show that is Sex and the City 2, I thought, how wonderful to start the day with a laugh.

Alright, go with me for a minute here. I’ve been waking up really early this week. Early for me at least. 6am. I realize for some (like the chefs I mentioned in my last post) that this may NOT be early but for me, it seems like a reasonably fresh hour. The sun hasn’t come up, the crickets are still chirping and the birds are just beginning to sing. I decided to start doing this for a few reasons. I’ve always idolized the early morning hours. The idea of being awake before anyone else. The quiet. The light. Holding a coffee cup with both hands up by your face and blowing the steam off of it while staring out the window and thinking about how excited you are for pumpkins and hay bales. (I have an f'ing Pinterest board called The Morning…) I love it all. I’ve also been interested in meditating earlier, while my brain is still mushy and sleepy and more open to suggestions like: “This is going to be a great day. I’m so grateful I get to look at it and touch it and taste it and smell it. I love my dog so much I could scream. Oh my god, I’m blissing out, whoaaaaa.” Shit like that. And then I journal for half an hour with a tiny cup of coffee. 

Are you still with me? Great. All of this is to say, it's been incredible. A revelation. Not only getting up early. You could get up at any time and achieve what I’m talking about, what I’ve loved is setting an intention while my brain is too sleepy to argue about it. Before my ego steps in and says, “shut up, this place is a shit hole dumpster where Sex and the City 2 was made and 2020 is still unfolding.” But, how does this relate to Joe? Well. I laughed SO hard at that stupid video this morning there was no way my baby morning brain wasn’t going to absorb that joy and take it into the day. 

Okay, so?

So, here’s what it is. Here’s what I encourage you to try. Right when you wake up. Whatever time it is. While you’re still kind of sleepy but assuredly awake (probably, go ahead and get out of bed and sit up) smile or laugh and just sit and think about how you want your day to go and who you want to be throughout it. If you’re rolling your eyes, I get it, it’s fine but guess what doesn’t really feel fine…shitty, nasty, anxious, worried energy that you slog along with you all damn day long. We have PLENTY of that to navigate this year. Best to trek it with love instead of fear. Beat the system.

Anyway, just a suggestion. Take it or leave it. I’ve had a great week in spite of it all. In spite of all the misery in the world right now.  All of the violence in the ways we speak and communicate, the news, social media and of course, literal, actual horrific human violence. 

If you have the chance to calm and take care of the space you take up here in this wild world, the good you will feel will be felt by the rest. And I truly, with my open heart and soul, believe that.

Sending you love and hope, high vibes and Joe's laughter. 

(Hopefully that video will process and show up at some point.)

Peace!