RELIEF in Laughter

RELIEF in Laughter…

We all have experienced some really fun and memorable times when we simply laughed out loud! I know that this week it has happened to me a few times that now will be memorable! I try to smile and take happenings throughout my day lightly. It helps me to keep my thinking positive. At times life situations aren’t  filled with humor, but at some moments,  humor is needed and helpful! We spent one day this past week with a couple that have been our life long friends. Phil has always had a great sense of humor. Even through all that is taking place for us now, he can still keep us laughing! What a sigh of relief! I knew we could still be in that same place together during difficult times. Aren’t friends precious?

As our week went on, I had many more encounters that simply reminded me how important smiling and enjoying is part of a very spiritual LIFE. I had not used the word “relief” in conjunction with laughter before. But now that I have truly EXPERIENCED it…wow! I am hoping I can help all of you recognize the same trait that lives within us all. Have you ever had the experience where your tears were simply running down your face, but something came along that made you laugh?  Ahh…relief from a tense body is beautiful.

Writing  is always helping me to relax instead of running the endless list of tasks for the day through my mind. I have been reading ALWAYS CONNECTED: How to Find Comfort, Clarity, and Direction from the Spirit Within by Suzanne Giesemann. I read through it once, but I felt that some of the chapters simply needed to be reread and absorbed. I read though it initially at a time when I had to read too quick and did not really absorb it all. So, I am on a second read right now. There is a simplicity in this book that I love. Yet, it is SO full of spiritual wisdom that is very useful for all of us! It also has some very meaningful real life stories.

But, this morning I went to the Chapter 5, Who’s Driving? I had forgotten what this chapter was about. For whatever reason, I found myself in tears…they can erupt at any time I have found. I began to read the story about the Pope. As I mentioned in the past, I’m not catholic, but our present Pope Leo has managed to catch my attention lately with his messages of peace and hope for our world. And I guess it is also our Michigan connection of where he went to a private  school at what is now a State Park. The estate is refurbished for all to go visit. But this time it was a story in Suzanne Giesemann’s book that simply moved me from tears to laughing out loud as I pictured this happening with our Pope Leo. Here is the “short” of the story, reworded by me…but I hope I can do it justice. (Or if you have the book, go to pg. 61-63! )

The Pope was in Chicago and picked up at some point by his usual Limousine Driver. But this particular day, the Pope went to the driver’s window and told his driver to get in the back, HE wanted to drive. The flabbergasted limousine driver tried in vain to talk him out of it, but to no avail. Enjoying his arm out the window and the exhilaration of driving himself put a huge smile on HIS face. Much to the limousine driver’s difficulty with it all , the Pope decided to get on the expressway. And THEN he gunned the car on the highway at 100 MPH! Pretty soon lights were whirling and a siren going as he was pulled over by a police officer. The officer came to the window and said, “Do you know how fast you were…”  his voice trailing off as he looked inside the car. Stammering and shocked, the officer said, “Sir, excuse me for a moment, I need to make a call.” He told his Sergeant simply that a very important man was driving this car. The sergeant went on quickly and said,  it didn’t matter WHO…it could be the mayor or the governor, it didn’t matter at that speed. When the officer didn’t reply right away, he said don’t tell me it was the President, nobody’s more important than that? “No Sarge, it’s not the President…” The Officer was simply speechless and so of course the sergeant was getting aggravated and said, “Seriously, who is this guy?” Read on…you need to hear the end.

I need to divert the story for a moment. At this point I was picturing my son who has been a Police Officer in Atlanta for close to 18 years and has probably encountered most all situations. I was picturing him looking through a window and seeing Pope Leo. What would HE say and do? No idea why, but tears began to fall probably because my son has been through so much in his young life between Iraq, the Middle East deployment, and the Police Force daily encounters!  Then I thought…NO, I think he would have SMILED and maybe even laughed himself right then and there…because that is my son.

BUT, then I really laughed out loud reading what the officer said, “I think it’s God!” There was a pause of course, “What makes you think this guy is God?” “Well,” said the Police Officer, “It must be God, because his driver is the Pope!” I’m sure that usual driver in the back was covering his face and thinking who knows what. What do you think? Does God, an angel, or entity actually sit with us in a situation in the guise of a human body? Maybe…but as I finished this story, YES…I simply had to laugh out loud!

Knowing Suzanne Giesemann like I do, it has to be a true story. I guess she has used this story in her workshops to help people understand that HUMOR is an excellent tool for aligning with the higher realms. I totally believe this is TRUE! In fact, I can still hear my own brother’s huge belly laugh…now in the realm above! YES! There is Relief in LAUGHTER! Do it often!! I find it a beautiful addition to my daily routines!