What Have You Laughed At Lately?
With Ed, a sense of humor is pretty much non-existent. You usually don’t laugh at anything because you are so numb to your feelings. Ed keeps you close on a tight leash and if you do laugh at something it’s usually a fake laugh…like you laugh when appropriate at someone’s joke, but not really feel it deep inside. You only go through the motions to fit in and you can’t even laugh at yourself. But when you are with recovery all that changes and laughter is present in everything you do and it feels wonderful.
Recovery gives you the ability to find humor in everything, including yourself. You find joy and laughter in something every day and more importantly you feel it within your heart. With recovery, when you laugh, you actually truly laugh…there is no faking involved. You are real and you are free.
Laughing is great therapy that makes you feel alive. When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? I did that this weekend when I was on the phone with my best friend. We were laughing so hard that we both lost our breath and happy tears filled both our eyes. My stomach was killing me from laughing so hard and it felt wonderful. I could feel the experience, was present in the moment and laughed my butt off….all thanks to recovery.
Make it a goal for yourself to laugh at someone or something each day….I mean really laugh. Read a joke, tell a joke, laugh with a friend, watch a funny show, read a funny book, listen to a co-worker tell a funny story or watch a funny YouTube video. Find something in your day to laugh at and feel it from deep within. Know when you laugh, it’s progress down your path of recovery. It is another step you made closer to freedom.
Recovery gives us the gift of laughter. When we leave Ed, we reclaim pieces of ourselves and humor is one of them. Reclaim yours and laugh again!
With health, hope and strength,
Cheryl
