Poem written September 13, 2006
I laugh.
I laugh a lot.
I laugh often.
I laugh with gusto.
I laugh.
Sometimes I laugh softly.
Most of the time I laugh deeply.
My laugh is distinctly mine.
I laugh.
I like to laugh—no,
I love to laugh.
I laugh well.
I laugh.
Sometimes people think I laugh too loudly.
Their scorn is sometimes too much.
My laugh is what makes me “me”.
I laugh.
Laughing is one of the talents God gave me.
I am grateful for the gift.
I treasure the gift.
I laugh.
Laughing gives me much joy.
Without laughter, I am sad.
Laughing comes naturally.
I laugh.
I laugh a lot.
I laugh often.
I laugh with gusto.
I wrote this poem after someone close to me at the time mocked my laugh, my inherent part of me that comprises a huge part of who I am, and how I identify and for many who know me by my laugh. In 2012, I was at a community festival in Denver, CO where you tour each participating store and there’s food and drink usually there to entice you while bands play on the main stage not far away. I was at a gift shop entertaining myself with the excellent greeting card selection. Standing alone, I laughed my authentic, uninhibited laugh like I always do. I’m not afraid to laugh out loud in public, by myself. Location and people do not come into play with me. If I feel compelled to laugh, I simply laugh.
While I’m laughing out loud, I hear a voice I recognize from my past from somewhere in the store. I know the voice. The man calls out, “Jena. Jena Taylor is that you?” That alone makes me laugh recalling this memory. I’m 5’3 (and a half!) so I was not visible standing in the vertical card display so I peeked out around it and said, “Yes, Doug is that you?” Doug replied, “Where are you Jena, I can hear you but I can’t see you.” I walked around until I saw his over six foot presence with his wife. Doug and I met in Iowa City in college when we were students at the University of Iowa.
If I hadn’t been laughing, Doug and I might not have reconnected that evening. If I had been self conscious about my laugh, I wouldn’t have enjoyed the cards so much and I wouldn’t have been laughing so naturally. This memory is unique because it’s based solely on the sound of my laughter.
Wherever you are, with whomever you are, even if you’re alone–I encourage you to laugh with gusto. Songwriters Susanna Clark and Richard Leigh composed “Come from the Heart” in which they say “You’ve got to dance like nobody’s watchin’”. I dare you to laugh like nobody’s listening. Do it for you. And one day, maybe a long-lost friend will ask you if that’s you based solely on hearing your laugh.
Be well and be the best version of you you can be.
