The Wisdom of Snapple

I drink Snapple almost every day. It tastes good, and apparently, is made from the best stuff on Earth, so you can't go wrong. Plus, under the caps are bits of real facts that are amusing. This appeals to me since I am the queen of useless knowledge.

In any case, my cap today reads "Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15-100 times a day." I don't know who did this research or if it's even true, but it makes you think, doesn't it? The difference between 300 and 15 is huge. And sad.

So, I think about this as my evolution around the sun completes another cycle, and I'm on the verge of turning another year older. How many times have I laughed? How many times have I cried? I can barely remember yesterday so I'm not going to strain myself to think about numbers. But I don't laugh nearly as much as I used to.

Each birthday to me is like New Years, when I think about the past year, the future, things I have done and things I would like to change. I'm not crazy about becoming another year older, but a new year is almost like a fresh start. Almost. I take stock of how far I have come, things I have accomplished over my lifetime, how I have changed and improved, and where my priorities are. I have met wonderful people along the way, have found real love, have earned respect of people around me, and still have my faith in humanity intact. In this respect, I live a charmed life. But I don't always recognize it. That is my birthday resolution - to truly appreciate my life, to embrace the love around me and to enjoy the ride - and to laugh more. Easier said then done, but it's worth a try.

So, as I count down to the next year, I have to sit back and smile today about how lucky I am. Now about getting back to those 300 laughs a day...