I recently posted a "25 random things about me" on Facebook and learned afterwards that my son was feeling "exploited" because I said one of my greatest pleasures in life is listening to him laugh like a 5 year old (he's 19) when he is watching comedies, etc.  You have never heard anything like it! It starts off lightly at first, and then just peaks into full broiled guffaws, almost like a roller coaster. Ebbs and flows of laughter and giggles and sometimes even the occasional snort. I can hear it now, as I type.  My other kids have great laughs as well, but there is nothing like his! 

It has been said that 10-15 minutes of genuine laughing burns 20% more calories than not laughing. So 10-15 minutes equals about 50 calories, as many as in a small piece of chocolate! Can you believe that? You can have your dessert and laugh it off too!  It releases endorphins, the feel good chemical, reduces stress and genuinely makes us feel better about ourselves and the life around us.

A friend of mine, who had cancer would only watch comedies or listen to comics for the entire 9 months of her treatment. She would not watch anything depressing or read any part of the news that was not positive. She has been cancer free for over 3 years and had a relatively easy time during chemo.

It has been said that "Laughter is the Best Medicine" and not only do I believe it, but I do my best to practice what I preach!

:-))))) , LOL , ROFL and LMAO to all of you!

When I graduated from college and went backpacking on the cheap throughout Europe, I decided that it was just the beginning of my need to experience all I could out of life.  I never realized just how much that feeling would haunt me. Then my grandma died at the hands of a mugger.  The last words I said to her on the day prior was " I love you", and it has given me peace ever since. That and the desire to really live my life to the best I can.

Growing up my Nana was an all important part of our lives, lived close by and spent many a day at our home. She was a divorcee in a time when not many of her generation got divorced. Because of this, her life became very sheltered, spent at home watching television, reading, sewing, going to the library and coming to my house. If we were able to get her to go out to eat, it was at only 1 or 2 places and it was always a negotiation.  The older I got, the more I realized how she was allowing "living" to be replaced with just "existing".  She and I had conversations about that, and while she didn't disagree, she used the excuse that she was too old to change.

I had a friend in college whose parents never did anything for themselves, nor took a vacation, always waiting for retirement to enjoy the benefits of life.  Luckily for them, they did and do get to enjoy some of life now, but what would have happened if they didn't. If medical problems or money problems or even death, took away that chance.

I want to live then, sure, but I want to live now, too.  The only way to appreciate our time on this planet is to embrace all of life. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the incredible.

Existence is for organisms whose sole purpose is to just be.  We as humans were meant to live and not just be, but to do, too.