Friday, March 18, 2011

Permission to Live

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.  ~ Yiddish Proverb


Sometimes it seems like I forget how important laughing and playing are to us, regardless of our ages!  Sometimes I need to be dragged out to mine for kronkites in the snow wearing a welding helmet, wielding plastic golf clubs and pretending to find treasures in the snow when the real treasures are the laughs that we have together.

The past couple of weeks have been stressful on many levels and it wasn't until today that I understood that I can give myself permission to enjoy things!  How silly you may think that is.  But I've learned that the first things we sacrifice when facing stressful situations is our laughter and our joy!

Surely we need to face stress with the appropriate seriousness.  That is somewhat true.  We do need to deal with things, but even in the midst of that we need to still live, love and laugh!

I've found myself hunkering down and pulling my psychic covers over my head while I wait for this season of stress to pass me by.  I've forgotten, and had to be reminded by someone who is intimate with joy that I don't need permission to live.  

I don't need permission for laughter.
I don't need permission for joy.
I don't need permission to have cereal for supper.
I don't need permission to enjoy silly songs.

But we think we do.  We get caught in the trap that says, serious stuff needs serious people.  Being a joyful person is not the same as being a thoughtless or frivolous person!  Someone can experience deep joy and life boosting laughter and still be able to take things as seriously as required.  

Some decorum is advised, of course.  Not all of us are able to escape social mores and rules but still...why shouldn't we enjoy life even when it is showing us the rough spots

No one should take our joy and we should not take theirs.  It is a breath of life for our spirits.  It is a breeze blowing the cobwebs away.

Are you giving yourself permission to live?
Are you letting your laughter bubble over and wash your soul with joy?
Are you enjoying the things that are silly, funny, absurd and strange?
Are you letting the 'grown up' world take your joie d'vie?

I'm writing myself a permission slip, and I'm going to put it on the fridge!

It will say, 

Dear Life,
I am giving my SELF permission to enjoy, to laugh, to giggle and have fun. I am giving my SELF permission to live life fully.  I am not allowing her to hide away and miss the joys she should be grateful for.  My SELF has my permission to color outside the lines, paint with her fingers in soap and do science experiments in the sink.  My SELF has my permission to splash in slushy puddles, to get her mittens dirty and cuddle muddy dogs.
Love,
Me

5 comments:

  1. Don't you sometimes wish that there was a "love" button on blogs! If there were such a button, I would be using it on this post Shanyn!
    Hugs! Darlene

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  2. When my husband came into my life, he taught me to laugh at him, at myself and especially at life. We just can't be serious all the time. When you are so serious all the time, you lose your reason for living. Laughter and joy are so important to me today. Mystic_Mom, thanks for this reminder.

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  3. LOVE & LOVE & LOVE IT! This morning I read, "At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaliesoscope of new possibilities." ~ Jean Houston
    Perhaps God is trying to tell mw something...LOL
    Love you girl...THANKD and keep up the joy!

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  4. This is great Shanyn! I had a similar experience where I realized I was waiting for permission to get on with my life. I live the way you put this idea in a permission slip!

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  5. Darlene - thank you for the love! :-)

    Patricia - that too is a gift my son and husband gave me, and it is so different from anything I've ever known!

    Wanda - love that quote! Thanks for the love...

    Susan - thank you for being here, and I'm so glad we've had a common experience to share.

    Bright blessings to you all my sisters!

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