It’d been one of those days.

My house was overflowing with rambunctious grandkids — a five-year-old, a two-year-old, and a colicky baby attached to my hip — all here for a frigid, stay-inside three-day weekend.

Sure, I prepared for their arrival.

But young kids go through activities faster than a slide at the playground.

Within the first hour, blowing up balloons, stacking paper cups into towers, and counting random objects (each child needed their own container because… we all know how sharing goes), were crossed off the entertainment list.

Even my secret weapon — making homemade Play-Doh — lasted a whopping forty-three minutes if you count sweeping up the flour explosion as part of the activity.

So when I finally got the baby down for a nap and walked back into the living room…

…and saw what Jude had done with the clothespins (that used to be neatly clipped to the pretend clothesline)…

I didn’t sigh.

I didn’t scold.

I didn’t reach for the vacuum or the broom.

I laughed.

Big belly laughter.The kind that releases something you didn’t even know you were holding.

Because sometimes?That’s the only sane option.

Maybe you’ve had one of those crazy-busy days, too.

If so, consider this your gentle nudge:

Laugh.

🌿 5 Benefits of Laughter

We underestimate laughter. It looks small, but it’s mighty.

• Laughter lowers blood pressure.

  Your shoulders drop. Your heart unclenches.

  
  

• It improves sleep.

  Even a simple chuckle can soften your stress load.

  
  

• It helps digestion.

  Your body literally loosens when you laugh.

  
  

  It boosts energy.

  A laugh can wake you up faster than a cup of coffee.

And here’s my favorite:

👉 Laughing burns calories — roughly equal to 15 minutes on an exercise bike for every 100 laughs.

How can you not grin at that?

So if life feels complicated, overwhelming, or just a little extra…let your belly get the giggles.Let laughter bubble up and burst out.

Kids ages four to six laugh about 300 times a day.

We adults?Somewhere around 15.

Maybe it’s time we catch up.

Enjoy the benefits.

Enjoy the silliness.

Enjoy the laugh.

Laughter lightens the spirit,

tillness settles the heart —

and together, they give us space

to refresh, reset, restart.

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