Over spring break, I had the opportunity to go on a service trip to Camden, New Jersey. While I could spend hours recounting the various learning experiences I had there, a question posed during reflection on the last night has stuck with me since, and I think it is one that can reveal one's values in life.

As we were reflecting on the week's learning and experiences, my break trip leaders asked us:

What do you love most?

When I first heard this question, I didn't know how to answer it. How do you quantify what you love? How do you prioritize it?

However, as I sat there, surrounded by people who had been by my side for the entirety of that week, sharing in so many conversations, service encounters, activities, games, dances, and more, my answer hit me.

As I sat there, I looked around the room and could distinctly recall countless moments throughout that trip of endless laughter, of true, genuine community shared.

That, that feeling, that moment of laughter, is what I realized I loved most.

There is something magical that happens when a group shares in a moment of laughter. For a second (or longer), all that matters is the hilarity behind whatever was just said. For a second, your entire focus is based in letting yourself release that emotion, letting your body physically respond to what has just happened.

As someone who spends so much time focused on what is coming next, of planning out every second of every day, I think those moments of laughter remind me that life doesn't have to be taken too seriously. Moments of laughter give you a sense of relief. As we were serving in Camden, and had such difficult conversations throughout the day and throughout reflection, I know laughter had great importance for my group.

As I sit here writing this article, I took the time to research a bit about laughter.

A five-year-old child laughs about 300 times a day, while an adult, only about 17.

What happens in that time period? What prevents our laughter? Why is it that as we get older, we lose that sense of youthfulness and hilarity?

I know for me, when I laugh, I feel most alive. I feel connected to myself, connected to the people around me.

That moment is what I love most because within it, you can also find a sense of belonging. I can remember so many instances over the course of the week where someone made a joke and the whole room exploded. I can remember in those moments, looking over at people. Being able to share in that moment with people makes it even more powerful for me.

I think that when we look over at others when we are laughing, we allow ourselves to be seen for who we truly are.

Like I said earlier, in this moment, we are emotionally and physically responding to something someone has just said. We are not trying to make ourselves appear a certain way, we just are who we are.

People are most beautiful when they're laughing. There is something so genuine and true to that image.

Community and connection have always been so important to me, and sharing in laughter is a huge part of that.

I feel so grateful to have not only been posed this question, but to have been surrounded by a group of 11 other incredible individuals who reminded me of the importance of laughter in so many ways.

Talk soon,

Sam