Mirth, Memories and the Child Within

 Our best-loved stories, those we hear and love to tell are the ones filled with mirth. Laughter is healing, inspiring hope way down deep within us. Finding some amusement in the most painful of situations makes the hardest memories bearable. We love the stories that allow us to share humor and even the ridiculousness of life, which is why the best storytellers always have an audience. No matter how painful a memory is, if you look closely you will find something that was simply ludicrous somewhere in the story. The first laugh that escapes from that part of the memory is the healing balm being lovingly applied by the physician within.

Mirth is the merriment erupting from our inner child, signaling that this child has survived adulthood. It is important to retain the innocence of childhood, to carry it forward and revisit it at every opportunity. Children see without filters identifying people and situations exactly as they see them, instantly. Adults temper these images and events, filtering them through life experiences that force them to be acceptable to society or their inner circle. Denial was born the moment the light of our inner child was extinguished. Once denial has been invited into our life it will remain, distorting what we see and imagine we feel. It is a monster that requires our inner child to resurface to call it out fearlessly, to speak the truth without restraint and to laugh at the power it seemingly wielded. Children understand imaginary monsters far better than adults. They will double dog dare them to come forward and fight. This is why the child must survive the passage to adulthood. It is fearless and faithful to the truth.

Contrary to what many believe, the child never dies. It can be muffled and kicked aside in our efforts to become more acceptable to someone or something. Still, it survives, kicking and making loud noises deep within every time we deviate from seeing things discerningly or allow any illusory idea to take the joy out of life. It creates a sense of uneasiness, a feeling that we don't belong in a place or situation, making sure we are uncomfortable. This is the dare flung at us to let it out and begin a new game of life that is fun, one you can win at. Learning to recognize this inner struggle is necessary to identify and ultimately leave behind us the things that will never serve us well.

We are ready to start a brand new story, to begin a new game when we survey the landscape around us in life and realize it is not filled with anything joyful or hopeful. We were not born to be a servant to the taskmaster of fear or hopelessness. Deep within us lies who we really are; a child who will mightily call out what is harmful and quit a game that is no longer interesting or allows the opportunity for innocent merrymaking. Just listen, then act.