The Power of Laughter

 "Laughter is America's most important export."
Walt Disney

Today I noticed that Sweet Caroline has almost mastered rolling over. It would be hard not to notice. Every time she made it to her stomach, she let loose with another new achievement - a really happy sound, somewhere between a squeal and a screech. It's not a full on laugh, but an expression of contentment that only a baby can make.

In an article by Maria Shriver she wrote:
"Go out of your way to laugh today. Try to laugh everyday and surround yourself with people who make you laugh. That has made all the difference in my life." Maybe that's why working with babies has me feeling so good lately. Babies make me laugh. [http://mariashriver.com]

In the same newsletter, I read an article by a woman whose mother resides in a nursing home (I've noticed that nursing homes are becoming recurring theme on this blog) and suffering from depression. Until "a very talented art teacher at the nursing home didn’t take “no” for an answer. She kept inviting my Mom to come and simply observe the class. (No pressure whatsoever.)
After a couple of weeks of just watching, Mom started doing. And doing. And doing.
Twenty paintings later, she had her first one-woman art show." [http://mariashriver.com/guides/wendi-knox]


After reading this I'm hereby amending my list of must-haves ultimate nursing home (see previous post). There will need to be an art room. Tables covered in brown craft paper. A box of 64 Crayola crayons for every resident. Polymer clay. Finger paints. Easels. Scissors. Paste. Gel pens. Chalk board and colored chalk. And Sharpies. Thin Sharpies. Thick Sharpies. Black Sharpies. Every color under the sun Sharpies.  Who can be uncheered with Sharpies around?

May you be surrounded by laughter and color.
Merry ME

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