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There are two essential requisites for a happy life.
One is laughter, the other is love.
Money can help, but we speak of what is essential not merely desirable

They have a number of qualities in common.
Both defy definition but are instantly recognisable.
When they happen, you are left in no doubt.

Laughter enlarges the spirit.
Love opens up a window to the soul.
Laughter liberates and refreshes us, making the sombre
aspect of the world sparkle and gay.
Love spreads its warmth through the veins of our life.
Love heals.
Laughter speeds the healing.
Love is undemanding.
Laughter is giving.

These two elements are the core and backbone
of a happy marriage if it is to flourish
beyond the formal requirements of the matrimonial state

But can one thrive without the other?
A witty response or a comic tale will provoke mirth, it is true.
But the laughter of which I speak is far more than that.

It mirrors a sense of joyfulness and without joy love may wither.
Laughter and love alike require nourishment and sharing demands both.
Without love there is nothing to rest the pursuit of selfishness.
Without laughter there is nothing to make the capture worthwhile.

This poem was written by Montague and was read out to Veronica at their wedding.