She Laughed

A voice penetrated the haze of my concentration.  “I’m scared.”  Another replies, “Me too, I’m scared.”  I remembered the same fear I had experienced myself that very morning and laughed.  “Why are you laughing?” asked the lady next to me.  I answered, “If this were a sound track with no image, you wouldn’t guess that it was a watercolour class.”  I realized my neighbour was of a different culture and perhaps assumed that laughter means ridicule.  I often laugh when something is too true.  It feels so good to hit the nail on the head.

 

There are two cases that come to mind from the Word where laughter is a sign of disbelief.  One is when Sarah hears the announcement that she will have a child.

 

**They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he replied, “There, in the tent.” Then one said, “I will return to you next year, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, ad­vanced in years; Sarah had stopped having the periods of women. And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Now that I am withered, am I to have enjoyment—with my husband so old?”  Then the LORD said to Abra­ham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am?’  Is anything too wondrous for the LORD?  I will return to you at the time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”  Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened.  But He replied, “You did laugh.”**

Genesis 18:9-15

 

I recognize that feeling also.  Words and laughter slip out and when I realize it would have been better not to express that, I would like to erase it, redo from start, but lying does not erase.  It is like trying to rub out 6B pencil with your finger.

 

Here we have Mary as an image:

**The angel spoke to her with awe because he can only obey Me,

(but) her, I listen to; on her lip I can hear man’s moans

because she swallowed her defiance just as the servant holds back her vomit when her King is talking to her,

between her nerves she crushed her pride and suppressed her laugh;

she found the strength that lifts mountains,

she attained the excellence of salvation.**

The Revelation of Arès 33/14

 

 

With effort we can conquer our pride and our disbelief, the urge to lie, our fear, but I find it hard to control my laughter.  It just busts out.  I can try not to guffaw…………..too loud………. And I enjoy it so much.  I would like to be careful though that it only express joy or commiseration.

The watercolours we finished in class this week: