KNOWING LAUGHTER

Provided by Billy Osogo

Dr Brené Brown, in her insightful book, I Thought It Was Just Me, writes about “knowing laughter.” She defines it as “laughter that results from recognizing the universality of our shared experiences, both positive and negative.”

It is this knowing laughter that I so viscerally experienced when I first read AP2’s brilliant article titled First Solo. He described the feeling he had when writing that particular article as something akin to his first solo. He wrote of the moment, “that same sinking feeling – like I’ve missed a crucial part of my training.” In a brave show of sheer, artistic vulnerability, he admitted to being petrified.

I remember reading his article and feeling a profound tidal wave of equanimity. His words, the genuineness of his persona and how he wittingly recounted what was hitherto a petrifying experience, soothed my nerves. I laughed. That knowing laughter…