Laughter and love are the most powerful weapons we have. Cheesy? Maybe. But they have consistently been the two things to save me when I’m mentally drowning. I feel extraordinarily blessed by the love in my life. People might think I throw my love around too freely, but it’s not a finite resource. Love is an energy that constantly renews itself… the more you give, the more it grows. It can be as simple an act as a smile, a patient ear, a cup of coffee on the house. Telling the people you value that you love them is never a waste of time or sentiment. It won’t lose its meaning; it will only grow stronger.

I have been through some shit in my life. I never thought I could be in a place to forgive the perpetrators of abuse, cruelty, and untrustworthy acts. Some days, yes, I find bitterness creeping in. I try to turn it into understanding, instead. My abuser was himself abused. He grew up in a time when seeking help for the repercussions of abuse was seen as weak. Actually, the culture I grew up in sent that very same message. When I first began therapy, I felt weak, coddled, self-indulgent. Now I see that it has helped me heal. My wounds might always be tender but they have scarred over enough that I can look at my abuser, know that his life has always been one of pain, and - at a safe distance - love him with the act of understanding.

As for laughter, sometimes that’s hard to come by. It’s easy to be weighed down by the horrors of the world, and as creatures capable of compassion, I think it’s normal and expected for this to happen. When I went through my April Wig Out, I was so preoccupied with worry, anxiety, and tragedy, that I thought I might never laugh again, and that’s a terrifying feeling. But if you’re in a relatively safe frame of mind, and small irritations are piling up, try laughing at it. The biggest annoyances can be downgraded by seeing the humor in them… or if that fails, finding an external source of funniness and immersing yourself in it can do wonders.

Love someone today. Give a moment to someone lonely. Hug your best friend. Write an encouraging note. Tell a joke or watch a funny movie. And take a deep breath: know that you don’t have to take on this big crazy world by yourself. We are all in this together: all bright, glowing parts of a bigger light.