Last Saturday, our son Thijs was sitting on the couch at home. Out of nowhere, a little laugh escaped—just a quick “uhhuh.” Then it grew: “uhhuhuhu.” Before we knew it, his laughter was bubbling over, completely contagious.

For those who don’t know Thijs: he’s a joyful 24-year-old with a severe intellectual disability. His developmental level is about that of a one-year-old. He doesn’t speak and isn’t toilet-trained, but he can walk and hum songs like no one else. Wherever he goes, he brings lightness and joy. Especially now, it’s heartwarming to hear him suddenly hum a ‘Sinterklaas’ tune. Thijs has been an inspiration to me since he was little. He lives fully in the present moment. He accepts life exactly as it comes.

So there he was, sitting on the couch with his activity center beside him, giving it a spin now and then. His laughter kept growing: “huhuhhuhhu.” Maartje, Sietske, and I were sitting with him, and without even thinking, we started laughing too. We couldn’t stop. The laughter went deeper and deeper until all of us—including Thijs—were in fits of giggles. We had no idea why he was laughing, or why we were, but it was pure joy.

Thijs laughed harder and harder, even a tear appeared on his cheek. He was having the time of his life. The whole room was filled with laughter. It was unbelievably relaxing. What a gift—to laugh so freely, for no reason at all!

I realized how much it puts things into perspective. My mind cleared completely. Whatever I was thinking about before—it was gone. All that remained was laughter, joy, and being fully present together.

What if letting go and relaxing could be this simple? Thijs shows us how beautifully. And if Thijs can do it…

This week, try putting a smile on your face. Allow yourself to laugh—more and more, a little longer, maybe even wholeheartedly. You don’t need a reason. Just give yourself a little “laugh-time” and notice what it brings you.

Wishing you joy and relaxation!