 Emery Ruth Tell Me the Truth | Well, I could tell you about the massage I gave, during which my foot got tangled in the sheet, tripping me and in my violent lurch to keep from taking a face plant I ripped the sheet and blanket clean off the naked bum of my unsuspecting client. It was so funny I still fall into fits of laughter whenever I think of it (even now as I type, I am laughing out loud). Or what about self-inflicted laughter? Have you ever tried it? I do this on my way home from long and arduous days or when I just need a pick me up. I start by just making the sounds, and soon find myself genuinely and hysterically laughing because it’s just creepy. But the funniest of all is The Real Deal Belly Laugh, a favorite in my house. Mr. Jones (my most amazing companion) and I discovered this one lay around, lazy day. The Real Deal Belly Laugh is accomplished by laying across the belly of someone else (preferably someone you know well) and laughing. The bouncing of your bellies together makes for a ridiculously funny experience. Good laughter is meant to be shared. xo |
 In Your Bones ~ Uncover Your Truth | When I think of funny, I rarely remember the actual event that preceded the fits of laughter. What stays is the feeling of losing all control, opening up like an umbrella and cackling till it hurts. I was about eleven, sitting on the couch one day with my mother and watching cartoons on the telly. Something made me laugh. Soon my mom started laughing as well, and ten minutes later we were both in fits on the floor, tears pouring out of our eyes. We laughed and laughed. We couldn't look at each other for hours after, or the laughter would start all over again. I don’t know what it was about the show that was so funny, but I remember laughing with such abandon with my mother. I remember how good it felt, how we were just the same, and how absolutely open both our hearts were in that moment. |
 Summer Solstice | Just going to enjoy a day alone at the pool. Sip an iced coffee, thumb through a few magazines, and catch a few rays. Feeling a little sassy, so why not wear the bikini? Find a secluded spot, away from the teens who haven’t started school yet, and set up my lounge chair. Basking in the rest and relaxation, enough to fall asleep. Wake to find a man sitting criminally close, his lounge chair facing me, mere inches from my feet. Okay, so... I am scorched. I must get up and get wet. My mission: get over to the splash pad and cool off and return without calling any attention to myself. I’ll just sit back down with nonchalance and busy myself with a magazine. Or…I’ll sit down too high on the lounge chair and flip over backwards with my ass in the air. The uneven weight distribution will not allow me to just sit back up. Trying desperately to right myself will require a tuck and roll. Two preteen boys standing nearby may have gotten the show of a lifetime as I gather my breasts back into that sassy bikini. So much for not calling any attention to myself. |
 Finding Your Voice of Truth | When Amanda put out the call for seven people to join in her Seven Souls One Musing interview, I hurriedly raised my hand. I can muse about almost anything I thought. And then I received the question and found myself completely stumped. I consider myself a funny person but the truth is I could not for the life of me think of one of the funniest experiences I've ever had until late at night in some ungodly hour. So here it is. It was a dark and cold that winter day when my ex-husband and I made our way to the car. We were talking, having a conversation about something or other. We arrived at the car, each of us on either side. I was chatting along having a full conversation with him when suddenly I just disappeared out of sight and stopped talking. I could hear him still talking and then suddenly say, "hello?? where did you go?". One minute I was there and the next minute, I was under the car. I had slipped on some ice and literally ended up with half of my body under the car. I was so stunned; I was stunned into silence, a rarity for me. Within the next few seconds he was over on my side helping me while trying not to burst into laughter until he made sure I was okay, but he couldn't and with both of us slipping and trying to get me back up, and thinking about how I was there one minute and gone the next, we just burst into laughter and could not stop laughing. The best part about a funny experience is replaying it with each other, with friends and family. He just kept saying, "you were there one minute and then you just disappeared..now you see her... now you don't. My bum hurt a bit but the laughter, the belly deep laughter was the best medicine. |
 | The funniest moment of my life was when I was travelling over to Ireland to visit my Mum for the Christmas holidays. I was standing outside a train station in Belfast when a man came up to me whom I’d never met before. He started a conversation asking how I was and went to tell me that I had, “The best overbite he’d ever seen.” This is funny because a vain fact about me is that I’ve always been incredibly insecure about my teeth. When I was in school I got bullied because my teeth stuck out and the fact I was getting complimented on this just made me smile in disbelief. I thanked the man before I left and went to catch my train. It totally brightened my day and made me feel so good about myself. I’ll never forget it and I have to say although it was incredibly random of the man who I’d never met to compliment me on my teeth and that they stuck out, it was fabulous. I smile with confidence now. |
 Jolie B Studios | Life’s a series of funny lil stories . . . Administrator Amanda asked if I’d host a group dinner, “Around 10 guests,” she said. “Sure, no worries.” I learned dinner was set for that evening, 7pm. The former host apologetically called in sick. “O no, O NO! Ok, but you’ve got to help get me out of here by 4pm,” I replied. She promised. My conference call was droning when Amanda popped into my office, pointed at her watch and mouthed, “5:30.” Out the door, onto the subway, then to market, I grabbed a cart, chose a few veggies, picked up a few bottles from the wine center, then back to the cart & headed to the dairy. “Maam, maam…” very faint at first. I rounded the corner whispering to myself “should we have goat cheese or go for bleu?” ‘Excuse me,” I heard the voice again, just above a whisper. “Excuse me, Miss . . .” I turned to see a man with the cutest smirk on his face. Handing me a beautiful bouquet of flowers he said, “I see you’re planning, how about I trade you these flowers for my shopping cart which I think you have.” The best part, the man in this story and I became close friends and tend to call each other our "slow down fairy" - we check in from time to time just to be sure each other is living the mindful life. |
 @Thompson_girl | A dream of mine has been to see the Great Wall, which I was able to do when I finally took a trip to China in 2011. One thing the post cards from the Great Wall don't tell you is how ridiculously steep and uneven the steps are, should you choose to forgo the crowded walkways north of the entrance and opt for the empty looking southerly stroll. Last October, I discovered the steepness of the Great Wall for myself. After doing a mix of swearing, sobbing and refusing to look down I made it up the first two south towers with the help of some kind strangers and my gorgeous friend who didn't judge me, or my panic attacks for a second. All this despite the fact that on my descent, I had to sit on my bum and slide down several ancient staircases while staying seated. On my less than sophisticated descent an elderly couple passed me also headed back down the Wall and as I reached the bottom of the last staircase, a class of school aged children ran past me without a care in the world. |
 | Jo Anna Rothman, MA is an intuitive coach and facilitator of The Receiving Project. She revels in assisting people in falling in love with their lives. She is committed to living a life full of pleasure, purpose and enthusiasm. And perhaps most important, she knows the secret to the perfect s’more. |
 | Daniel Collinsworth is a teacher and cloud watcher. He has a blog called Metta Drum where he shares insights on compassion, oneness, healing and freedom. You can connect with him on Facebook and Twitter. |
