It starts with a totally innocent comment. The smile emerges. The eyes disappear into the crinkles. The low rumble begins to rise, if it is a low rumble laugh. It could of course be a twittering sort of laugh or a guffaw! It might even be snaughling. Snaughling is laughing so hard you snort, then laugh because you snorted, then snort because you laughed. The most cleansing laugh is the totally lost it laugh. The one where once you are in it, you can’t stop. Once the tears are hopping out of the corners of your eyes and you can’t tell anyone anymore why you are laughing. Even more tears explode from your tear ducts and your belly starts to ache. Your inability to explain your case of raucous guffawing fuels the flames and the fire rages out of control. This is the absolute best! The tiniest twitter ignites the fire once again and you are off on another rolling wave. I know nothing better, well, almost nothing.

The Mayo Clinic actually confirms the incredible benefits of laughter.

Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs.
• Activate and relieve your stress response.
• Soothe tension.

Long-term effects
Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system.
• Relieve pain.
• Increase personal satisfaction.
• Improve your mood.

I attempt to indulge in this exercise as often as at all possible. There are folks who, deserving though they may be of this orgasmic release, rarely experience this cleansing ritual. There can be something a little scary about this “happening”. You have to let go – completely. You have to be willing and able to surrender to that totally silly, impossible to stop, way out of control laughter. It can prolong your life. I would go so far as to say that it has saved my life. Many times.

Mary Poppins sings “The more you laugh, the more you fill with glee” I want some more of that glee-stuff. Control of laughter? Who needs it! Letting go in a “fit of laughter”, a moment of pure, unadulterated orgasmic giggling, guffawing and twittering as behooves you will add years to your life and light to your day. Go on, have a chuckle. Oh, a word of warning – it might be infectious and could be habit forming.