We cannot really love anyone with with whom we never laugh.

Agnes Repplier, wise observer of the human heart, spoke truly when she said: “We cannot really love anyone with whom we never laugh.” In these words lies the revelation that love is not forged only in solemn vows or silent devotion, but in the shared lightness of spirit, the joyous spark that binds souls together. Without laughter, affection is heavy; without joy, companionship grows weary. For in laughter we glimpse the soul unguarded, and there, in that moment of brightness, we come to know the one we cherish.

The ancients taught that the divine fire of love is both solemn and playful. Even mighty gods, when they revealed their tenderness, were often found in jest and mirth. To laugh together is to lay aside pride and fear, to walk in harmony without armor, without masks. In that laughter, two beings are no longer divided, but one — their hearts beating in rhythm with joy. Thus Repplier reminds us that love cannot thrive where laughter is absent, for joy is the very breath of intimacy.

The origin of this truth is found in the simple rhythms of daily life. Families are knit not only by duty, but by stories told at the hearth, by smiles exchanged, by shared amusement at life’s folly. Friends become brothers and sisters through the bonds of mirth. Lovers become companions for eternity not merely through passion, but through the echo of their laughter, which lingers long after words fade. It is this joy, this lightness, that cements the foundation of enduring love.

Yet the teaching is also a warning. Where laughter dies, love falters; where mirth is banished, affection turns to duty alone, and the bond grows brittle. To laugh together is to renew the covenant of hearts, to remind one another that even in the weight of sorrow, there is still light. Without this, love risks becoming a burden rather than a blessing.

So let future generations hold fast to this wisdom: cherish those with whom you can laugh, for they are the ones with whom you can truly love. In joy shared, burdens grow lighter; in smiles exchanged, trust is deepened. And when the storms of life rage, it is laughter — that divine spark — which will carry love across the dark waters into the dawn.