Guest Blogger: Patty Brothers
I’ve always heard the saying ‘laughter is the best medicine.’ I never knew how true that was until day two of our Little Pink Houses of Hope retreat in Gulf Shores, AL. Despite a stressful time in their lives of juggling families, jobs, kids, finances, treatments and everyday affairs, our families and VolunStars found time to laugh together today.
We began with a beautiful day on the beach, the sun on our faces and the soft white sand beneath our toes. The water was so calm and beautiful that we could just stand peacefully in the water and look at miles of ocean or just chat. The faces of the kids and young adults who were in the water were priceless. There is nothing better than the laughter of a child, or so I thought until today. The laughter of someone who is or has been ill is something I will never forget. It gave me a whole new perspective — and to hear the laughter of a family together, brought a joy to me I cannot really describe.
As the day progressed, we all had lunch together in the Turquoise Place, overlooking the pools and a lazy river. Giggles and the laughter floated through the room as everyone enjoyed delicious hamburgers (and big ooey gooey cookies!). Our final family arrived today, and they joined in the chatter and laughter as if they had known everyone for years. We have 10 families in Gulf Shores that have never met. To watch them have such a great time together is a heart-warming experience.
In the afternoon, the families had a little down time; some rested, some continued to enjoy the beach and the pools. The VolunSTARS prepared a yummy Mexican Fiesta for everyone. We laughed together as we chopped, cooked, prepped and served the meal for our families at the Beach Club Resort. During supper, the laughter got louder as all continued to exchange stories.
The VolunSTARS concluded their day by lying on the floor to make a circle of friends and snap a selfie. We almost didn’t get the picture taken in the midst of our laughter. What a beautiful second day of our retreat.
“Laughter is a pleasant sound, it spreads joy all around. Whether you’re young or old, laughter can be like Magic to our souls. Whenever we’re feeling sad, laughter can sustain us that things don’t seem quite so bad. If we give into laughter it can be like a cure for something that seems impossible to endure. So, anytime your spirits need a lift, fill yourself with laughter and you will find a much happier person with a peaceful frame of mind.” – Ritu Ghatourey
We hope our families find laughter and peacefulness this week as laughter CAN be the best medicine.