“The Power of Laughter”
Lindsey R. Hintz


“A day without laughter is a day wasted”. -Charlie Chaplin

It is infectious, it burns calories, Charles Darwin believed it to be a mood influencer; it strengthens the immune system, studies show it causes loss of muscle control, it is known to make you fall down, sometimes even wet yourself, yet is proven to add years to your life.

***

I laugh so hard that my belly aches. I am not alone. He is with me, in my sterile white room barely big enough to fit a king size mattress. I’ve never seen him sound or act this way. It is just the two of us and our uncontrollable uninhibited outbursts. This is no childish playground giggle; it is intense, unavoidable and undeniable. Although the strength and joy of this occasion, it seems as if nature forces us to resist this action. But why should we try to fight it? How do we get through life without it, I wonder.

On average children laugh 400 times per day; adults 15.

My face is flush and eyes s welling up; his expression euphoric and cheeks rosy. The muscles in my face feel weak as if they have not been used in an extended while. Due to our spastic movements my floral IKEA sheets wrinkle off the corners of my freshly made bed. This event lasts what seems to be hours but in reality mere minutes. We are desperate for this moment. In a sense, it saves us. But what is the cause for this rare occasion? It does not matter. Why this amazing event occurs is of no importance. All that matters is that it did.

Just seconds prior, my mind raced anxiously like NASCA, crashing into unpaid bills, family fueds, my biological clock, regrets, lack of trust, the future, death, the ten pounds I can’t shake, court dates, poor economy, news reports, war, my empty bank account and car troubles.... yet at this moment in time I am without a care in the world. At this moment in time my worries are nonexistent, not even a detour on the road of my life. At this moment, I am content. At this moment, spiraling through my brain is my grandma’s smile, fresh snow angels, Hawaii, true love, Christmas dinner, the Seattle skyline, best friends, warm embraces, world peace, cartwheels, sand castles, inspiration, all things beautiful and most importantly, hope.

Moments later the hysterics, muscle weakness, and water works begin to subside and I am no longer chasing my breath, nor is he. Yet the feeling of pure happiness and joy lingers. It is as if we have flushed all our worries down the drain. Are we cured? Is this all it takes? If the whole world could share a laugh, would there be no war? No more violence? No more depression? Would there be eternal happiness and well being? Did we just find the secret; crack the code? If so, this secret I will not keep!