Monday, October 28, 2013

Watching Mary Laugh



I’ve recently decided to end my public laughter club to focus more on my paid laughter programs. I’ve been in this laughter business for 12 years now and have been leading this particular laughter club for 7 years. 

The public laughter club is my community service.  It’s a lot of work to maintain it –specifically in getting a steady stream of participants there every month; not to mention the amount of effort it sometimes takes to get a small group of newbies to laugh.  I’m letting that part of my life go…at least for awhile.

But I started to envision Mary in my mind.   It brought not only a smile to my spirit but a renewed understanding of why I do what I do. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words came to mind:  “If only one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.”

Mary came to my continuing ed class at Bastyr University claiming that she could “do serious really well”.  She came with an intent to bring more joy and laughter and lightness to her life.  She participated with a sincere and steady commitment to use intentional laughter to this end.  And I watched her slowly transform. 

At our last laughter club I saw in her, for the first time, a child-like lightness and contagious authenticity in her laugh.  I felt a sparkle in her spirit and a joy in her face that I hadn’t seen before.  I saw her evolution – the fruits of her sincere labor.  I saw that I’ve done my job well.  And I remembered why I do what I do. 

I won’t be ending this work anytime soon.

Photo:  Phinney Laughter Club

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