One of life’s greatest joys is overwhelming laughter. The kind that makes you fold in half or shed a tear, the kind that takes you a minute to come back from.

At Oasis, we have found many ways to laugh together. Last Sunday, our hour spent on Zoom was the funniest time yet! We played a few rounds of a game called Broken Picturephone, where one person draws what the last person wrote down. This chain of writing and drawing goes on until everyone has participated, and the end result is hilarity.

What I love about this game is not only the silly nature of it, but the way in which it allows us to easily collaborate, converse, and see how our minds are alike and different. Laughter is a powerful thing. It can ease social anxiety, and it can open the door to impactful sharing which deepens the connections our youth have with one another. Something as simple as ‘a magic nose with legs’ helped us bond further.

Once a month at Oasis, we have the youth decide how we’ll spend our whole time together. This was one of those evenings. I believe that youth are craving laughter right now. The way laughter can disarm us is powerful. In those moments when we are all cracking up, we are one. There is no worry, no angst, just plain joy.

This Spring, allow yourself to laugh. Find the commonalities with those you interact with through something funny. Let your guard down and you will create stronger connections!

Written by: Emily McKenna