From Start Your Week with Steve, the free weekly e-mail newsletter of Steve Henderson Fine Art —

“Thanks to Carolyn, who celebrates every holiday whether it’s on the calendar or not, I’m a more festive person than I was when we married 30 years ago.

We can laugh at life’s challenges, we can laugh at the wind in our face, we can laugh at a Laurel and Hardy movie, but we don’t have to laugh at other people. Brimming Over poster by Steve Henderson

“But the one holiday I have never jumped into — nor has she — is April Fool’s Day. Neither of us enjoys practical jokes, which tend to make everyone but the person doing them look foolish.”

“When we laugh — and we do so often in our family — we prefer that it not be at someone, unless the someone is the cat and it just rolled off the porch. Too many people feel insecure as it is, and we prefer to use our time and resources to build people up, as opposed to tearing them down.

“People are amazing — frustrating at times, exasperating at others — but always valuable just because they are. And every one of us, every day (and especially April 1, maybe?) has the opportunity to build someone up, encourage him or her, listen, commiserate, and be kind.”

Read the rest of the newsletter at Start Your Week with Steve.