do you laugh out loud?

It should not surprise you that i am a loud laugher.
If you've never met me in person, just watch the I Love To Laugh scene From Disney's Mary Poppins - that's me (though i don't resemble Ed Wynn, thank goodness).
I laugh out loud at movies, tv, songs, videos, books, pictures and even books.
Imagine sitting in a waiting room or on an airplane and busting out with laughter in the silence: oh, the looks i get.
As i've gotten older it seems that more people are surprised by my glee. It's as if the natural, unbridled joy that is delightful in children is somehow suspicious in adults. Sometimes i get looks that seem to say, Shouldn't you have grown out of that by now?
Grown out of joy?
Grown out of delight in the world around me?
Grown out of pleasure in a well turned phrase or grumpy cat?
Is THAT what adults are supposed to do?
Am i the only one that thinks this is ridiculous, bordering on stupid?
I'm not oblivious or naive. I get that the world is a crappy place where terrible things happen every minute. I have as many money issues, future issues, security issues, body issues and self-confidence issues as everyone else.
Isn't that why it is important to laugh, to find joy?

When was the last time you laughed out loud?

When was the last time you were delighted?

It was just 20 minutes ago for me.
This post wasn't supposed to be all heavy and thoughtful; it was supposed to be a quick filler with a picture of a hedgehog because i don't really have time to do the post that i had planned for today (jewelry waiting to be made, you know; and i am starting an on-line class tonite at 11 - CRAP, that's only 25 minutes from now).
But when i typed the words "oh, the looks i get" as a joke to lead in to my hedgie picture the next paragraph suddenly dawned on me and i felt compelled to share.

Anyhoo, fTM Amy sent me a link to a Buzzfeed Animals post about hedgehogs trying to be things besides hedgehogs and as i was going down the list i was struck by the hilarity of this picture


Source: buzzfeed.com, who sources emmysbanjo.blogspot.com


and just laughed out loud.
I mean, look at his squishy little face. Have you ever seen such disdain? That hedgie is tolerating the photo shoot because the photographer feeds it, but it is not pleased. No Sir, it is not pleased one bit. You can almost hear it plotting to leave hedgie droppings in someone's shoes later.
The incongruity of the hedgehog in the egg holder coupled with its all-too-human expression just struck me right.

Sometimes when people look at me funny i feel like i should change.
 Like maybe i am the one who is crazy for nurturing and protecting my internal fire.
Like maybe i am missing some essential component of maturity.
Events of the last year have really made me wonder that if my perception of the world is so different from a lot of the people around me, maybe it is wrong.

Then i look at that squishy hedgehog face and laugh again.
Screw the look-down-their-noses-at-me people.
I might be louder than them, but i am willing to bet that i am filled with more joy than them, too.
Don't let the doubters, the judgers, the tut-tuters, the joyless ones take away your laughter, people.
Ever.