Those Without Trouble Laugh the Loudest

I sat on the deck and read. Occasionally, I put
my book down to watch a bird
explore a nearby tree. If there were no birds,
I’d just stare off into the distance and let my
thoughts drift – a quiet soothing.

The still afternoon was shattered, as four or
five young boys and girls ran down
the street. They left wet foot prints on the
pavement – obviously they’ve been playing in
someone’s sprinkler system. Water dripped from
their hair as they chased each other
down the sidewalk and across the grass at the end
of the cul-de-sac. Their laughter was
contagious and I found myself chuckling as they
romped around the field, like a litter of puppies
exploring a new world.

Unlike the roar of a jet or the blare of a car
horn that destroys the piece, their
laughter, although loud, is musical. They were
happy children at play; not a care in the
world.

A few weeks later, Ginny and I sat in the shade
of the fence in the backyard. My
son and daughter-in-law watched their four kids
play in the sprinklers. Ginny, still
recuperating ten days after her appendectomy, sat
in the chair beside me. I read a book.
She watched her grandkids play.

It was then I heard a sound I hadn’t
heard in a while. I looked up. Ginny was
laughing at something one of the kids did while I
wasn’t watching. It wasn’t a chuckle.
She doubled over, clutched her stomach, and
roared with laughter. I watched her with
wonder and smiled. It had been weeks since I last
heard her laugh. The sickness her
appendix caused in the weeks leading up to her
operation and then the recovery afterward
were hard on her. To hear her laughter again
brought joy to my heart and soul.

At that moment, I knew laughter is not only the
best medicine; it’s an indicator of
ones well being. Those without trouble laugh the
loudest, and like the children in the
street my girl was laughing again.

Michael T. Smith

Story ID:	5284
Written by:	Michael Timothy Smith (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Caldwell Idaho USA
Year:	2009
Person:	Everyone