Laughter

I tend to be a serious person and forget how wonderful it is to laugh; chuckle when I make a mistake or to “lighten up and relax already” –a comment I’ve heard more than just a few times over the years.

Today, the owner of the local venue for my book launch kindly offered a chance for my husband and I to taste the appetizers  they hoped to serve at the celebration – on their day off no less. We sat around a nice table and sampled three delicious hors d’ouevres: cheese, tortellini, basil, tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette on crostinis and yummy skewers with prosciutto, olives, and different soft cheeses. The staff asked questions about the book, eager to please, excited for the event, wanting to make a good impression. Everything felt a bit apprehensive-ish; the owner politely refusing to eat anything.

At one point, I caught my reflection off a glass window and startled. My lips were pursed together and my brow seemed to grow into one line. My hair looked a little wild from the hot yoga class I just came from. I looked around at these thoughtful people and realized they were taking their cue from me.

I tried to crack a joke, not really one of my fortes. “You know I’ve never done this before; book launch I mean. So, I don’t really know what I’m doing.”

Everyone at the table paused in their eating as if someone had just pressed the stop button on the remote control. Then the owner smiled, one of those big soulful smiles that made her eyes dance. “We’ve never done a book launch here either!”

We looked at one another and burst out laughing.

From then on, everyone started to chatter about nothing in particular; the weather, the changes in our town, a new book someone had just read.

The owner picked up one of the crostinis and complimented the chef, “You know, these are quite delicious.”

We laughed some more. I bought a few things for the celebration give-away basket: a bottle of their signature wine, a stemmed glass with their logo. She threw in a package of paper napkins with the inscription well red and we ended our time together with heartfelt thankyous.

The owner let us out through their large, heavy wooden door with sizable window partitions that shown brightly in the afternoon light and where I could catch my smiling face. I think my eyes might’ve even held a hint of joy. Laughter is a gift. Truly.

How did you find solace this week?

Sharon

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