I believe the Earth is round. I believe apples grow on trees. I believe hot dogs
are not sandwiches. I also believe that potatoes would be the best food to grow when
stranded on an island, and that Man City is the best soccer team. As I sit here writing
this I am chuckling to myself; as usual I find my jokes far funnier than everyone else,
but that's ok- because one of my truest beliefs is that a day without laughter is a day
wasted. 

When anyone ever asks me to tell a story from my past I all of a sudden forget
most everything that has ever happened to me. However, a few key memories stick
out; Kaidin giving me a black eye, my goldfish dying, and that one time when Annabelle
broke her butt after slipping on a soccer ball. One memory I will forever remember is
when I was on a trip to India with family and I saw the true power of laughter. First, I'll
start with a little background; my day had been for the most part quite awful. I dropped
a bag of Doritos all over the floor (which for me, as a young child, was earth
shattering), I had gotten stuck inside the bathroom (Kaidin refused to help me out), and
I got my hand wedged inside a shell (once again Kaidin was no help). I eventually
retreated to a quiet part of the house to nurse my wounds and whimper about my lost
Doritos. After a few minutes, a girl about my age walked in (I’m sure were somehow

2
distantly related, I can’t keep up with the family tree) and seeing my rather sorrowful
face carefully approached me. She reached into her pocket, got a gum wrapper out and
folded it into a little hat. She placed it on her head and did her very best impression of a
monkey. I found this quite hilarious (I had a very distinguished sense of humor) and I
clearly remember letting out a laugh. Before I knew it we were sitting on the ground
giggling together. Looking back I see an image of two little girls, who didn't speak the
same language, connecting through a silly joke. That little girl probably didn't know that
she made my day or that I would still be impacted by her, but I’m so fortunate for her
actions.

That day in a far away land taught me many things. Firstly, Kaidin is selfish and
one day I hope he gets his hand stuck in a shell, and that laughter is a force that can
transcend many barriers. No matter how bad your day is going (or how many chips you
drop) laughter will always be there to lift you up. As I move through my life I hope that
everyday I will find a reason to laugh (even if it's at myself). I believe in laughter and I
hope that I will continue to believe in it forever.