I love to laugh. I laugh when I hear something funny. I laugh when I hear something surprising. I laugh when I don't know how to react to something. I laugh as a way to process emotions. I laugh more than I think I laugh.

I don't know how to cry. Bad things happen everywhere all of the time and it's a matter of chance whether or not bad things are happening to you or someone close to you at any given moment. You're going to cry over a family member who suffered a minor accident but not over the five people who died during the time you read this sentence? I can't relate to that, although I understand that crying is a healthy way to process emotions and that I'm missing out on an arguably fundamental part of human experience by not being able to cry over sad things.

That being said, I don't care! I love my quirked up brain exactly as it is. I have no interest in doing anything to suppress my laughter. I'll continue to do exercises that can induce crying, but I'm not going to cry if it doesn't happen for me because I literally cannot.

This brain of mine that zones out in conversation and is fixated on not harming anyone is the same one that is a thoughtful listener and generates and shares interesting ideas. I'm working to improve interpersonal skills while I'm celebrating the way I am at this beautiful moment right now.

I'm allowed to ask for compliments to accompany criticisms. I'm allowed to be less than one hundred percent present or self-aware. I'm allowed to advocate for what I want. And so are you.