Laughter Is the Best Medicine (Again)

Oh, how I love having hilarious sons in my home! 

I have to give credit where credit is due, because their dad is pretty funny himself. More on that later! But lately it's been Silas keeping us in stitches with his expansive explications and five-year old footnotes on life. Such as a recent opportunity to play with a new friend named Juan de Dios one evening. Afterwards as Pedro prepared him for bed, he asked his friend's name. Silas confidently stated, "Oh, I think his name was ... Jesus de la Cruz!" When we dissolved in laughter, Silas lost not an ounce of self-assurance and congratulated himself, "Well, at least I got one name right!" I guess he meant the word ... "de?!"

Today, however, it was my 6-foot-something, 3-weeks-shy-of-16-years-old Owen. After lunch as five of us crowded into our confined kitchen, he mentioned that he had a question for me. Immediately I craned my neck to make eye contact in our close quarters and he protested my proximity. "Mom, Mom, Mom! I'd rather talk passively. You don't have to get up in my face like that!" I laughed and said that's what I miss in Covid times, the "passive" conversations I used to have chauffering the boys in the car to and from basketball where they could more comfortably talk to the back or side of my head while I kept my eyes on the road. 

Still, I teased Owen and grabbed him for a neck hug before he could run away. In turn, he passionately asserted, "Mom! This is you. You are so intense!" and in overstated fashion bent halfway down to my eye level. Eyes bulging just centimeters from mine in elaborate exaggeration, he rubbed his hands together in dramatic delight over an imaginary intense conversation.

a random yet happy picture of togetherness at home

It's one of those things you probably have to see to appreciate, but it led to peals of laughter and the reminder that laughter really is good medicine! And if so, we've been well medicated today. Returning to the subject of their dad, this morning at the end of family devotions I called for hugs all around. Pedro was wearing an undershirt and just setting foot on the stairs to retrieve more formal attire. Rather than lose the moment, I insisted that he didn't need a shirt (meaning, of course, the more formal attire) for hugs.

That was all it took for uproarious comedy to ensue as he retorted, "Oh, really?!" and tossed his undershirt aside to the consternation of his appalled children. They squealed and protested and attempted to hide under couch cushions - all in good fun - but in the end none could escape Daddy's bare-chested embrace. In the meantime, we split our sides in laughter and it was a great way to start the day smiling. 

As I was preparing this post, I realized I had written a prior one with the same title and thought I would share it again: Laughter Is the Best Medicine. Another story of sweet, silly sons and the joy they bring! I am so grateful for the privilege of sharing life and laughter with Pedro and the children God has given us. We are blessed.