Day 37

A pastor walks into a restaurant carrying a penguine...

Most of my earliest childhood memories involve being with others. In the fond memories, I can picture people laughing and smiling. Growing up with television as one of my constant companions (not something I condone in my own children,) I watched with interest as my parents and others would laugh and get such delight from Lily Tomlin, Rich Little, the Smothers' Brothers, and others. Though most of the humor soared over my head, I would get caught up in the contagious nature of laughter.

It was probably sometime during those early primary grades that I began 'entertaining' those around me. I copied Rich Little's impersonations, which resulted in my impersonation of an impersonation of John Wayne, James Cagney, Kathrine Hepburn or Richard Nixon. Like most copies of a copy, the result was probably a 'grainy and blurred' version of the original, but it seemed to have the desired effect: people laughed.

I have one clear memory 'holding court' while surrounded by my older cousins. Standing on a coffee table (again, I don't condone this,) I danced and sang along with the UK band, The Sweet, as the 45 of "Little Willy, Willy won't go home." Again, I'm sure I didn't understand the lyrics at the time, but I still remember the line 'dancing, glancing Willy drives them silly with his star shoe shimmy shuffle.'

For me the gift is not so much the 'entertainer' in me, as it is the love of people's laughter. Nowadays, I may be just as likely to laugh along with others, but I often find myself paying attention to the uniqueness of somebody's laughter: the sound and tone of it, the occasional abandon seen on their faces, the willingness to lose control to the point of sore facial muscles...

As I wrote yesterday, it's my hope and belief that laughter must be one of God's favorite sounds. Then again, it could just be one of mine.

May you know your gifts and may you master them in a way that delights God and others.