by Scott
Burton
Do you remember as a child, being slightly
scared and running to your parents for safety?
Do you remember playing tag and narrowly
escaping someone's outstretched grasp? Or
how about the memory of sharing a story and
savoring the telling as if it were a lip-smacking
delicacy?
If you've ever experienced those moments
then you know what it is to laugh. Though
it is not laughter as we often think of it,
the rollicking vocal release. It is, instead,
the inner laughter we all have that is often
overlooked in our lives -- the knowing, the
excitement, the constant realization of something
true and special about life. That is the
hidden laughter we forget in our lives almost
every day.
It is indeed a subtle laughter. The best
way to explain it is: Have you ever looked
back on your life and only been able to shake
your head with a resigned smile? That is
the laughter. The laughter that acknowledges
life is something greater than us, something
magical but, by sheer grace, we are allowed
to partake in anyhow. It is the laughter
of family, of maturity, of birth, of knowing
we aren't as in control as we think. It is
the faint ring of God's laughter that echoes
quietly throughout the universe like a gentle
symphony. And once recognized, we see that
there is and always will be a profound sense
of laughter to everyday life.
We often think of laughter as something
elusive, something we have to work at each
day to achieve. We rent videos, read magazines
and make special efforts to locate humor.
But, in embracing the little, unrecognized
laughter, the search is over. Laughter remains
with us always. It is, though, a little less
obvious, coming in the form of a genuine
smile, a beautiful song, even a satisfying
meal. It's a laughter that highlights the
paper-thin difference between having humor
and being human.
To me, that hidden laughter is just as
important as the boisterous outbursts we
hold so dear. While the out-loud expression
of laughter stimulates endorphins to help
heal our bodies, the inner laughter helps
to heal our souls. It is the quiet, profound
laughter telling us that, amidst all our
troubles, life is still worth living.
During my own battle with cancer, I saw
the hidden laughter in many things -- the
identical bright red caps my brother bought
for himself, my dad and me, in family dinners
as the food was passed around the table,
in the eyes of my children, in walks outside
the hospital, in trees swaying in the wind.
I remember once, my sisters and wife visiting
me in chemo after the drugs had left me bald
and thin. The moment they walked through
the door I felt a joyful inner laughter simply
knowing that I loved them as much as I did.
And, because they loved me, they also shared
some outward laughter, "You look a little
different, Scott," one of them said
playfully, "did you get a haircut?"
Hidden laughter is a sense of humor, joy
and spirit that we can't bring about ourselves.
It is there already and all we have to do
is be willing to see it. And once that laughter
is inside our hearts, we will also find ourselves
laughing on the outside more than we ever
thought we would.
Maybe games of tag are less plentiful these
days, or running to your parents doesn't
bring the same kind of comfort it once did.
But we do still have stories to tell. We
have moments to relish and memories to share.
We have the knowledge of an unimaginable,
lovable life to remind us to keep that hidden
laughter not so well hidden. __________________________________________________________
For more on how Scott used humor to deal
with his cancer
you can get his book,
"A
Life in the Balance"
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