A Do Over at the Parsonage.

The Laughter That Made the Difference

I had the pleasure of hearing laughter. This laughter came from
my parents in the living room of our home and it was from the
two people who had worked the hardest and made the most sacri-
fices for our family. Mom and Dad were enjoying a television
program together and their laughter filled the air. In hearing the laughter of my Mom and Dad, I was healed. I felt repaired after the brokenness of the arguements they had during
my childhood. In the experience of their laughter, I understood
something that was not explained to me when I was a little girl.
I understand now that people have conflicts, sometimes intense
conflicts, but when they love faithfully, they resolve those
conflicts and reap a harvest of blessings in laughter and joy.

Out of tradition I am thankful to God for this. Out of reality
I am thankful to life and time for this lesson. Emotional healing
and repair of brokenness does transpire. This experience fits into a tradition adopted by my Partner Tamara and me. In our relationship, we support each other in what we call do overs. This tradition is a practice of supporting or sponsoring some experience of pleasure that may have gone wrong in our childhood. If we had an experience in childhood that was painful or full of displeasure, our partner will do everything possible to recreate a pleasurable situation that parallels or replaces the unpleasant or missed experience. Sometimes the gift just happens and sometimes it is something that is arranged for us by or with the help of our loved ones.

Mom and Dad's laughter as a couple was a do over gift that I never expected but really needed. The laughter of my parents together in the home comforted me as their offspring, it gave me a feeling of safety in their presence and it also gave me a sense of hope for my success in a loving marriage. I am still averse to marriage for a number of emotional and fiscal reasons, but I am becoming less and less cynical as the days go by. Perhaps someday my heart will open completely to the idea of being married, but for now I would do well to just love deeply and show sincere human concern. I have expressed my love and devotion to the person who is closest to me and my expression and intention is sincere. Am I still evolving as a person? Oh yes! Will that have an effect on the manner in which I relate to my Partner and others? There is no doubt that it will. I am confident of this one thing: I will have my fair share of laughter with the one I love and she will have her fair share of laughter with me.