The lighting is intense, the soundtrack is emotional, and the audience (also me) is on the edge of her seat wondering if I will survive the tragic ordeal of a mildly awkward moment.

Maybe the camera crew can take a lunch break. Maybe not everything needs a sequel, a plot twist, or a slow motion replay at three in the morning. Some moments deserve nothing more than a shoulder shrug, a little snort of laughter, and a snack.

And oh, the relief when I let myself laugh instead of lecture. Ahhh, it feels good to invite back the sparkle, the silliness, the lightness that seriousness has been sitting on like a grumpy hall monitor. Laughter opens the windows, lets fresh air in, and suddenly life doesn’t feel so tight around the ribs.

I can choose to treat my everyday missteps as bloopers instead of character flaws. I can roll my eyes with affection at my overthinking and remind myself that most things do not require a board meeting, a written report, or a twelve hour internal audit.

I can care and still stay light. I can be human and still find the humor in the whole messy, heartfelt thing.

I am practicing holding life and myself a little more lightly.

Thank you for sitting with me today.