I have forgotten how much joy can come from a simple tape ball.
After we made our sidewalk “masterpiece” on Saturday, my boys fought for the right to crumple up the tape into a ball. Then, they spread out for a ridiculous game of catch. I don’t know if you’ve ever throw a tape ball, but it’s not known for its precision – especially being throw around by three young boys. But even though it often landed several feet to the right, left, front, or behind its target… they still thought in that moment that it was the coolest game ever invented.
And there was, for a moment, the undeniable relief of laughter.
I found this blessing by John O’Donahue last night that I think maybe we all need right now when perhaps laughter is hard to come by. It’s a blessing for equilibrium:
“Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the relief of laughter rinse through your soul.
As the wind loves to call things to dance,
May your gravity by lightened by grace.
Like the dignity of moonlight restoring the earth,
May your thoughts incline with reverence and respect.
As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.
As silence smiles on the other side of what’s said,
May your sense of irony bring perspective.
As time remains free of all that it frames,
May your mind stay clear of all it names.
May your prayer of listening deepen enough
to hear in the depths the laughter of God.”
Can you hear it? The laughter of God as three ridiculous little boys aim a tape ball at its target over and over?
Can you hear it? The laughter of God echoing in your own? It’s there. Let yourself laugh today so that God can show you.
