That day we laughed instead.

 

You know those moments when your kids or maybe your students do something they’re not supposed to…

but it’s really funny?

 

And keeping a straight face takes every ounce of self control you have?

 

Well as a teacher, I’ve gotten better at keeping that straight face when necessary.

But that day I failed.

Listen, it was just too good.

 

It involved rocks and pants,

and I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.

 

But a questionable choice by one student put another student in a predicament

that required my help to get out of and, let’s just say,

it wasn’t going well.

 

In the midst of the struggle, one student let out a giggle.

And then I was done for.

 

I started laughing before I could stop myself.

And when I started laughing, the whole class joined in.

We just laughed.

Was it something I should’ve been laughing about? Maybe not.

But it was good for my heart.

 

And maybe it was good for their hearts, too.

 

Of course, we want to teach our kids right from wrong.

We want them to learn how to make good choices.

 

But don’t we also want them to learn how to find joy in life?

To smile?

To release the pressures of life?

To know what it is to be happy?

 

I don’t want to forget that.

 

So maybe, even if just for a moment, it’s ok that we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

 

Maybe it’s ok that we laugh instead.