One of the most delightful Christmas decorations that I saw this year was a gigantic, plastic polar bear that someone had set in their front yard. It’s very size made me laugh and smile as I drove by. Ten children could sit on its lap with room for more. It was a wonderful and joyous gift from the homeowner to all of us who saw it. After all, there are few gifts as precious as bringing a smile to someone’s face and a laugh to someone’s heart.

    I think that knowing the priceless joy of smiles and laughter is one reason why I still read the comics page in my newspaper each day. It is also why I so dearly love to watch children at play. A six year old child will laugh three hundred times a day while an adult will only laugh fifteen times a day. Perhaps we should take lessons in joy and laughter from our kids instead of trying to make them be more serious like us.

Let us not hold back our laughter.

    Laughter and smiles are not only a joy for the soul, they are also a fountain of youth for all who use them. They give us health, energy, vitality, and help us to choose love easily and often.

    You know I have never seen a smiling person who looked old. Perhaps you only grow old when you stop laughing and cease to smile. Even the most wrinkled and ancient face instantly grows young when its lips turn up, its teeth shine bright, and its eyes twinkle in delight.

    Let us not be afraid to smile. Let us not hold back our laughter. Let us choose instead to smile and laugh every chance we get. Let us love our laughter and delight in our smiles. Let us grow young again with giggles and grins. Let us rejoice in these glorious gifts from God and smile and laugh on our way to Heaven with Him.

 

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Title: "Smiles and Laughter"
Author: Joseph Mazzella
Publication Date: December 27, 2002