Laughter
The benefits
April 2nd 2013
There are differences between cheerfulness and joy. Cheerfulness can be read on the face instantly. Cheerful people smile, and lightness emanates from them. Joy comes from deeper realms. You can suffer and yet experience joy, because you feel that through your suffering you are understanding something essential. Obviously, this deep joy can also be expressed through cheerfulness. And so we see that many wise people are cheerful. What they have understood lightens life’s burdens. Contrary to what many imagine, the wise are neither sad nor pessimistic; they are cheerful, and they can laugh even when exposed to suffering and tribulations.
Have all the beneficial effects of laughter been studied? It maintains inner flexibility. It lightens us and encourages us to make progress. It also makes us more loving. Those who are able to laugh are also more loving than others. And they learn better and faster than others.