What Genius and Insanity share

Jaden,

I met your mother in high school, we were both in the homecoming court. She was just as beautiful then as she is now. (In another letter, we'll talk about brownie points) She was a freshman and I was a senior at the time and we had homecoming practice in the evenings leading up to homecoming night. During the homecoming ceremony, the is a choreographed dance that all homecoming participants take part in, and at some point during this waltz, your mother and I had to dance together. A first conversation is always a little wierd, but having to dance together before a first conversation made the situation just plain awkward. In the awkwardness of my first encounter with your mother, there was but one focus on my mind. "Make her laugh."

I don't share this story with you to give you advice on how to win girl's hearts, although when that special girl comes, remember to make her laugh. (But I suppose that is for another letter too) I tell you this story so that you can see the wonderful power of laughter. It can connect people, change an attitude, humble the proud, and sometimes it's so wonderfully strong it brings us to tears. Laughter is an amazing creation, and it shows a side of God that people often fail to see.

We laugh at many things in life. Stephen King wrote a book called 'Hearts in Atlantis' and in it he wrote; "You can't deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants." So invite laughter in. Enjoy it's company, and the company of those who bring it. I pray you laugh so hard at times that you can barely stand up straight and tears fill your eyes. Laugh often son.

Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself either. I find I laugh at myself quite often. Not because I think I'm funny, but because when God shows me how foolish I can be at times, my response always ends in laughter. There will be times when you think you've got the world figured out. You'll stand at the plate and point your bat toward the wall because you know that the next pitch life is throwing you is a fastball, and you're ready. Then, God throws you a curveball to make your wisdom look like foolishness. You'll swing so hard and miss so badly that you're thrown off balance, the bat will fly out of your hands, and you'll find yourself flat on your back staring up at the sky thinking, "I did NOT see that coming!" Remember son, a good response is always to laugh. Laugh, pick yourself up, give God credit for being who he is, thank him for humbling you, and get ready for the next pitch.

I would be amiss to tell you to laugh and enjoy laughing without giving you this warning. People laugh at many things. Sometimes their laughter is at someone, in cruelty, or at an inappropriate subject, or even an inappropriate time. Guard your heart and mind against such laughter, because that laughter is in mockery and will bring with it, judgement.

Laughter is such a fun, amazing, and pure gift. Keep it pure. Use it often. Enjoy it always.

Unconditionally,
Dad