The Gift of Laughter: Rejoicing in the Lightness of Spirit

The other day, while my wife was out of town, I decided to watch ​Dennis the Menace​ with Walter Matthau as Mr. Wilson. I’ve seen it several times, but it had been a few years. I find it hilarious. I was laughing in anticipation even before certain scenes arrived, and when they did, I laughed so hard I ended up on the floor. 

And you know what? It felt wonderful. There is something about laughter that lightens the spirit. Why, then, has a somber attitude so often been associated with spirituality? Somewhere along the way, we absorbed the idea that dying to our egoic selves meant giving up joy or avoiding too much fun. Yet scripture calls us to “Rejoice!” And Jesus himself said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Surely that includes laughter. 

Research affirms the healing effects of laughter. Among its benefits: 

• It decreases the stress hormone cortisol while boosting dopamine and serotonin, our natural 
• “feel-good” chemicals. 
• It triggers endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. 
• It increases oxygen intake, which stimulates brain activity and even enhances memory and creativity. 
• A hearty laugh activates then relaxes the stress response, leaving muscles looser for up to 45 minutes. 
• It improves blood flow, supporting cardiovascular health.
• It strengthens relationships by fostering warmth, connection, and trust. 

Laughter is not just entertainment—it is medicine for the body and nourishment for the soul. 

So today, give yourself the gift of ​AWL​: 

• Aware – Notice something delightful or unexpected.
• Wonder – Let yourself marvel at why it amuses or surprises you.
• Laugh – Really laugh! Full belly laughs if you can. Share it with someone else. Be silly. Who cares? 

Joy is contagious, and laughter is one of the simplest ways to spread it. Let it lift your heart, brighten your day, and remind you of the lightness of God’s Spirit within you.  If you do this, you will be in AWE! 

(Family Laughing, Wayne McDaniel, 2024)

• Karl Barth: “Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.” (often quoted, but origin unclear)

• G.K. Chesterton: “Laughter is a leap of the soul, a reminder that life is a divine comedy.” (Orthodoxy)

• Rumi: “Laugh as if you have heard an inside joke from the universe.” (The Essential Rumi)

• The Upanishads 4.5.1: “The soul laughs in delight when it remembers its true nature in the Eternal.”

• Psalm 126:2: “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” (NIV)

AWE 
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you? 
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Henri Nouwen: “Laughter is the sound of the soul healing, a reflection of God’s grace.” (Life of the Beloved)

• Maya Angelou: “I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh. Laughter is healing; it reminds us of life’s beauty.” (Conversations with Maya)

• Rumi: “Laughter bursts from the soul like a fountain, washing away sorrow.” (The Essential Rumi)

• Tao Te Ching 44: “The wise laugh at themselves, for they know that joy lies in simplicity.”

• Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (NIV)

AWE 
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you? 
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• St. Teresa of Ávila: “God deliver me from sullen saints.” (Attributed to Teresa in multiple devotional works) 

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “In laughter, we see a glimpse of heaven, where joy is boundless.” (Life Together) 

• Tagore: “Laughter is the dance of the soul, a celebration of life’s divine mystery.” (Gitanjali) 

• Rumi: “When you laugh, you share in the joy of the Beloved, who laughs with you.” (The Essential Rumi) 

• Bhagavad Gita 6:31: “The one who delights in all beings delights in Me, and I in them.” 

• John 15:11: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (NIV)

AWE 
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you? 
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Desmond Tutu: “Laughter is the language of community, a bond that unites us in joy.” (The Book of Joy) 

• Rumi: “Laugh with others, and you will see God smiling back at you.” (The Essential Rumi) 

• Chief Dan George: “The earth laughs with us when we share its beauty and joy.” (My Heart Soars) 

• Rig Veda 10.191.2: “Let us laugh together, for joy shared is multiplied and creates harmony.” 

• Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (NIV)

AWE 
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you? 
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Simone Weil: “The lightness of spirit in laughter is a foretaste of divine freedom.” (Gravity and Grace) 

• G.K. Chesterton: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Learn to laugh at yourself, and you will soar.” (Orthodoxy) 

• Rumi: “The soul’s lightness is revealed in laughter, a bridge to the eternal.” (The Essential Rumi) 

• Tao Te Ching 20: “The sage finds joy in the simple and laughs at life’s illusions, knowing the truth.

•  Ecclesiastes 3:4: “There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” (NIV)

AWE 
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you? 
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Rumi: “Laugh as if you have heard an inside joke from the universe.” (The Essential Rumi) 

• Henri Nouwen: “Laughter is the sound of the soul healing, a reflection of God’s grace.” (Life of the Beloved) 

• Tagore: “Laughter is the dance of the soul, a celebration of life’s divine mystery.” (Gitanjali) 

• Desmond Tutu: “Laughter is the language of community, a bond that unites us in joy.” (The Book of Joy) 

• Rumi: “The soul’s lightness is revealed in laughter, a bridge to the eternal.” (The Essential Rumi) 

• Tao Te Ching 20: “The sage finds joy in the simple and laughs at life’s illusions, knowing the truth.”

• Ecclesiastes 3:4: “There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” (NIV)

AWE 
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you? 
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?