Mentawai Islands, Indonesia : Laughing

I took this picture a few weeks ago when I was in tsunami-stricken Mentawai Islands, West Sumatera, Indonesia. Why I think this represents health in the community is simple, really, the children were laughing. They seemed to have a really good time. If I don’t tell you that these kids had just gone through the worst day of their life when the earthquake hit, and how they lost their parents in the tsunami, or that they have to stay in displacement camps, you wouldn’t know by just looking at the picture. Playing, laughing and smiling keep them healthy, not only physically, but also emotionally. And believe me, I got tons of this kind of picture that I took in some of the worst living conditions in Indonesia. It's just our culture to do so. Children stay resilient because they are coping by laughing, and laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain, and conflict. Simply said, laughter is the best medicine. So, make people around you laugh today :)