“Stop it…shut up…too uncivilized and uncultured!” was what the world remarked when my best friend Jasleen and I let out genuine bursts of laughter during recess time. Laughing, as we moved past the school corridors, we were greeted by frowns and dejected looks of who seemed like people jinxed by lack of cheek bones. They mistook our laughter for contempt and disdain.
Smiles and sniffles inevitably make the fabric of life; unfortunately I get to see more of the latter. Everywhere I see glum people caught in a race of achieving something – something that even they are unaware of. There is greed, there is madness, and there is lust. But nowhere do I see celebration and laughter. Of course you would argue that I can’t see ‘abstract’ nouns, but feeling them too is a pearl out of reach.
When my teacher would rebuke - ‘What causes you to create that nuisance?’, ‘Genes’ would be honest reply. ‘Mam, I have inherited it from my parents, My dad’s laughter is audible in the entire locality and my mom can’t help controlling hers.’ The other day, one of our neighbours remarked, “So, you do yoga, I see”. Yes! Now we find laughing in yoga classes only.
It is ironic that today laughing is perceived as an art to be acquired by special training. There are laughter clubs and laughter shows to connect people to their civilizational roots. Even the Holy Koran enshrines, One who makes one’s friends laugh, deserves paradise. But considering the present situation, it seems paradise would be rotting empty.
Smiles and chuckles are the only means of expressing joy known to the present generation, guffaws and ‘thahaakas’ seem to have melted into thin air. Even laughter soaps are watched with emotionless brooding. Studies suggest that a child laughs on an average about 400 times a day whereas an adult laughs only 15 times. Among many things that are getting extinct today, belly-aching laughter is one. Smiles always help to shoo our blues since they have the instant quality of changing the very matrix of mind. Research suggests that laughter actually helps in losing weight and preventing obesity. Now before you start replacing dieting with laughing, one last thing.
Optimism and laughter are grease and glue of life. As someone whose Facebook status reads ‘ Jalnidh is happy being alive’ – I would say that I found one reason to be glad about –Life! Life is for living. We ought to live every moment to the fullest and experience la joie de vivre in every nerve and artery of our body. Let sorrows take wings and happiness stay. The show must go on…
Beautiful!!! Jalnidh!!!
ReplyDeleteSo true... we are all caught in the rat race of competition, jobs and marks or it is the distortion of world peace. What we need to focus on is - Positive Approach! The way to make things better. Not how poor people are or they are getting, but on how to uplift those very conditions.
Well Done, some food for thought! :)
The post reminds me of a friend's text, which said 'promise yourself to make two people smile everyday, but make sure one of them is you!!'...as charity begins at home, first u smile, and then spread the smile...thats how it goes. Its a lovely post!great job!
ReplyDeleteschool days: if I start writing about it... there will be a soft smile on my face throughout. :) :)
ReplyDeletenice jalnidh. great writing conveying an even greater message. :-)
ReplyDeletethank you so much guys - i'm glad you liked it!
ReplyDelete