laughter-offsets-bad-news

I begin April 1 like any other workday, at my desk waiting for inspiration. I reach for the light and… someone’s staring back. My husband is apparently sitting quietly in the next room, waiting, because as soon as he hears laughter, a voice yells, “April Fool!”. Ahh, it was a silly good moment. This stocking stuffer from our daughter had been tucked away in the corner of his sock drawer ever since Christmas morning, waiting for just the right occasion. Three months later, the perfect opportunity!

laughter-offsets-bad-news

3″ tin of fun!

For the next 2 weeks I keep running into eyeballs, all in just the right places. After this first pair, Bill tells me there were 3 more around the house. I don’t do an official hunt because that would spoil the surprises. [When I was a teenager, my mom handed me some boxes and asked me to wrap my own Christmas gifts because she was terrible at it. This was weird but, like the good girl I that was, I obeyed. Weirder yet, I never peeked in a box. The thought of spoiling Christmas morning kept me honest but, on hindsight, I suspect it was mostly the fear of doing something “wrong”.]

There’s something to be said for just plain silliness, and I’m feeling a desperate need to escape the daily onslaught of pandemic news and politics these days. Notice the word “Emergency” on the tin. Safe to say that silly is saving my sanity!

laughter-offsets-bad-newsApril Fool’s Day was 6 weeks ago, but the eyes are still in place as my daily reminder to lighten up. I’m especially fond of the ones on my vacuum. Cleaning house is my last priority so looking down to see eyeballs looking back takes the sting out. Smiling is good for my soul.

My husband Bill has a gift he doesn’t know he has. He placed these ogling eyes in just the right places for me to catch at unexpected times. I am delighted by surprises, but also delighted that I get to spend my days with a man who makes me laugh. I’m lucky, my whole family makes me laugh. I can always count on Bill and Christy and Jesse. We’re all pretty good at amusing each other, so if laughter is any measure of longevity, we’ll all be making it to 100.

Weeded out this week: My default setting of making mountains out of molehills. I have a knack for blowing things out of proportion, which keeps too much adrenaline in my veins. Still learning to lighten up.