My dad was my great teacher in laughter too. He always had a joke ready or just reacted with one, even in serious circumstances, which helped alleviate even the harshest emotional conditions. In fact, I often judged the approachability of people by how they reacted to dad, because he was able to slip into people's good graces so easily, that if someone remained intractable or angry in his presence, I knew they were difficult to deal with in general.

This is a magnificent, wholehearted post. Subtle balance between raw emotional power and refined language. Beautiful! Blessings always, dear!