--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To live and to laugh require a reason…" description: "\"To live and to laugh require a reason. But dancing is so close to one's guts that it has no reason and yet it needs none; it's physical, and as a sourc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/toni-bentley-37728_cheer_to-live-and-to-laugh-require-a-reason-bu_334113.png" --- # To live and to laugh require a reason. But dancing is so… ![“To live and to laugh require a reason. But dancing is so close to one's guts that it has no reason and yet it needs none; it's physical, and as a source of good cheer it is end endless.” quote by Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/toni-bentley-37728_cheer_to-live-and-to-laugh-require-a-reason-bu_334113.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/toni-bentley-37728_cheer_to-live-and-to-laugh-require-a-reason-bu_334113.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/660/toni-bentley-37728_cheer_to-live-and-to-laugh-require-a-reason-bu_334113.png) > “To live and to laugh require a reason. But dancing is so close to one's guts that it has no reason and yet it needs none; it's physical, and as a source of good cheer it is end endless.” [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Laughter and dancing arise from instinct, needing no rational justification, yet they provide endless joy. **In simple terms:** Dancing is instinctual joy. Key Takeaway Allow spontaneous expression for lasting happiness. Themes joy expression instinct Mood playful uplifting Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - social gatherings - dance classes - stress relief practices - creative workshops Key Concepts laughter dance embodied cognition mind‑body connection Questions to Reflect On - How often do you let instinct guide you? - What activity makes you feel truly alive? A Different Perspective Rational mind may suppress natural joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Good cheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-cheer/) [Guts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guts/) [Laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-of-good-cheer-do-not-think-of-today-s-failures-but-of-the-success/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy the sunlight today, mix good cheer with friends today, enjoy it and bless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/no-matter-what-looms-ahead-if-you-can-eat-today-enjoy-the-sunlight/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Being of good cheer makes it possible for us to turn all of our sunsets into sunrises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/being-of-good-cheer-makes-it-possible-for-us-to-turn-all-of-our/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [And I say let a man be of good cheer about his soul. When the soul has been arrayed in her own proper jewels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/and-i-say-let-a-man-be-of-good-cheer-about-his-soul-when-the-soul-has/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [Good cheer is a state of mind or mood that promotes happiness or joy... With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/good-cheer-is-a-state-of-mind-or-mood-that-promotes-happiness-or-joy/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [Good cheer is a great lubricant; it oils all of life's machinery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/good-cheer-is-a-great-lubricant-it-oils-all-of-life-s-machinery/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [We shall then have joy without sorrow, and rest without weariness...Be of good cheer, Christian, the time is near, when God and thou shalt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/we-shall-then-have-joy-without-sorrow-and-rest-without-weariness-be/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances. … It is sunshine when clouds block the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/with-god-s-help-good-cheer-permits-us-to-rise-above-the-depressing/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [Developing a cheerful disposition can permit an atmosphere wherein one's spirit can be nurtured and encouraged to blossom and bear fruit. Being pessimistic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-w-winder/developing-a-cheerful-disposition-can-permit-an-atmosphere-wherein/) [Barbara W. Winder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-w-winder/) > [Keep out of the Sight of Feasts and Banquets as much as may be; for 'tis more difficult to refrain good Cheer, when it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/keep-out-of-the-sight-of-feasts-and-banquets-as-much-as-may-be-for/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [For centuries men have kept an appointment with Christmas. Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-centuries-men-have-kept-an-appointment-with-christmas-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth, that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/be-of-good-cheer-about-death-and-know-this-of-a-truth-that-no-evil/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [If you're never ridden a fast horse at a dead run across a desert valley at dawn, be of good cheer: You've only missed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/if-you-re-never-ridden-a-fast-horse-at-a-dead-run-across-a-desert/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Naive optimism and pervasive pessimism are both to be avoided, therefore. It's not an easy balance to maintain, to be asked to work away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/naive-optimism-and-pervasive-pessimism-are-both-to-be-avoided/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [His wry sense of humour and his stalwart courage were an inspiring example to so many. His ability to laugh at Life's idiosyncrasies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcleod/his-wry-sense-of-humour-and-his-stalwart-courage-were-an-inspiring/) [John McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcleod/) ## More by Toni Bentley > [“Afterwards Isabelle often wondered if the moments themselves were greater or the memory of them. At least the memory did not pass, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/afterwards-isabelle-often-wondered-if-the-moments-themselves-were/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [“In February, 1943, eight months before she was murdered in Auschwitz, the German painter Charlotte Salomon killed her grandfather. Salomon’s grandparents, like many Jews,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/in-february-1943-eight-months-before-she-was-murdered-in-auschwitz/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [“A man must have confidence in himself and his cock, to fuck a woman in the ass. If he does not have this control,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/a-man-must-have-confidence-in-himself-and-his-cock-to-fuck-a-woman-in/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [“Women are taught that size doesn't matter, that it's the motion in the ocean. But this is a theory propagated by those bright guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/women-are-taught-that-size-doesn-t-matter-that-it-s-the-motion-in-the/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [We live only to dance. If living were not an essential prerequisite, we would abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/we-live-only-to-dance-if-living-were-not-an-essential-prerequisite-we/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [I recognized it immediately the first time it happened - the cackle of the crone. It is the sound of a woman who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/i-recognized-it-immediately-the-first-time-it-happened-the-cackle-of/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [“It's my hurt, my pain, and who are you to take it from me? I don't need rescuing, I don't need pity, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/it-s-my-hurt-my-pain-and-who-are-you-to-take-it-from-me-i-don-t-need/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [A brand-new pair of toe shoes presents itself to us as an enemy with a will of its own that must be tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/a-brand-new-pair-of-toe-shoes-presents-itself-to-us-as-an-enemy-with/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [If a man can possess a woman sexually -really possess- he won't need to control her ideas, her opinions, her clothes, her friends, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/if-a-man-can-possess-a-woman-sexually-really-possess-he-won-t-need-to/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [Dancing may not be the perfect substitute for love, human love, but it certainly requires all the time and thought and energy that could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/dancing-may-not-be-the-perfect-substitute-for-love-human-love-but-it/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [A toe shoe is as eccentric as the ballerina who wears it: their marriage is a commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/a-toe-shoe-is-as-eccentric-as-the-ballerina-who-wears-it-their/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) [Explore all 12 Toni Bentley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) ## More Cheer quotes > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Hardy thinks they're cheering for him. I'm not going to tell him differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-hoeppner/hardy-thinks-they-re-cheering-for-him-i-m-not-going-to-tell-him/) Terry Hoeppner > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [“Kurt smiled a shy smile. "You're just trying to cheer me up," he said. "Course I am," Andy said. "You deserve to be full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/kurt-smiled-a-shy-smile-you-re-just-trying-to-cheer-me-up-he-said/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-of-good-cheer-do-not-think-of-today-s-failures-but-of-the-success/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [I am, beneath everything else, a fan. I was fixed in this mode as a young boy and am awed by people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-am-beneath-everything-else-a-fan-i-was-fixed-in-this-mode-as-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [ People had been so attached to the Diane \[Cheers\] character that audiences and producers found it difficult to think of me in any other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-long/people-had-been-so-attached-to-the-diane-cheers-character-that/) [Shelley Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-long/) > [I decided very early that I was going to be a reporter, that I would not cheer for the team. I don't denigrate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/i-decided-very-early-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-reporter-that-i-would/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) > [It's fun, and a laugh for you... you can boo me and feel happy about yourself because you're part of the crowd that did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goodes/it-s-fun-and-a-laugh-for-you-you-can-boo-me-and-feel-happy-about/) [Adam Goodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goodes/) > [Poetical taste is the only magician whose wand is not broken. No hand, except its own, can dissolve the fabric of beauty in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/poetical-taste-is-the-only-magician-whose-wand-is-not-broken-no-hand/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [This is no time to be precious about locating the exact individuals directly involved in this particular terrorist attack… We know who the homicidal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/this-is-no-time-to-be-precious-about-locating-the-exact-individuals/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Cheer up, you're never alone! There is probably at least 1 bug in your room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/cheer-up-you-re-never-alone-there-is-probably-at-least-1-bug-in-your/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) Browse all 1,099 Cheer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To live and to laugh require a reason. 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