|
Laughter
Is a Serious Tool
We all love a good laugh, don't we? I know I certainly
do. Unfortunately, though, I was not blessed with the
funny gene, I appreciate jokes that other people make,
but I'm not talented at coming up with funny things
to say myself. And what's more is that with the things
that mean the most to me -- work, relationships, politics,
my spiritual beliefs -- I'm not always receptive to
the efforts of other folks to lighten the mood. Don't
get me wrong: I don't get all mean about it, but I do
sometimes get a little intense. And I don't think I'm
alone in that.
I've taken part in lots of meetings and seminars lately
about issues that are very important to me and that
normally I wouldn't consider a laughing matter. But
I've noticed that sometimes the more intense a discussion
grows, the more helpful it is when someone in the group
says something totally goofy and off-topic. It takes
the rest of us aback, releases some of the pressure
that's been building without our noticing, and allows
us to go back to the very serious conversation with
a fresh perspective.
Case in point: animal rights. It's something that obviously
is very important to me. We recently had a lay service
devoted to the subject at my spiritual home, and I had
some passing concerns that those leading the service
might be like me: so enthusiastic about imparting every
little bit of the knowledge we've gathered about animals'
lives and rights that some listeners might end up feeling
defensive, rather than enlightened or inspired. It's
a fine line between giving animals the attention and
respect they deserve and doing so in a way that embraces
those who most need to hear what we have to say.
The service turned out to be a terrific learning experience
for me. It started with a play about puppy mills --
complete with music, costumes, and sets -- written by
another member of the congregation and acted out by
kids from the congregation and from local schools. There
were pratfalls and pies thrown in faces and, rather
than distracting the audience or demeaning the plight
of the animals, those moments of light-heartedness seemed
to relax everyone and help them to pay closer attention
to the message. The woman who wrote the play is as serious
about animal welfare as I am, and although she's not
a big jokester in real life, she had worked with the
kids to lend the play a light touch that kept both them
and the audience engaged.
After the play, a local veterinarian and an animal
rights activist both gave brief speeches about their
work, and the activist, in particular, did not mince
words about how horrible animal farming, slaughter,
and research are. But rather than being turned off,
those around us made a point of picking up the brochures
and signing the petitions that the speakers brought
with them, and telling them how much their presentations
had affected them. One of my friends even expressed
some interest in adopting veganism -- or at least reducing
her use of animal-derived foods and products. And that's
a start.
It may seem obvious to others, but the idea that laughter
can make it easier to learn about a serious subject,
rather than derail the discussion, was a profound one
for me. I may still not be the one to come up with the
jokes, but I will make a greater effort to employ the
help of those who can tell a joke well.
Which reminds me: I heard this great story about a
duck who walked into a bar......
LK
New Jersey
- n
e x t e s s a y -
Copyright © 1998-2013 by Jo Stepaniak
All rights reserved.
Nothing on this web site may
be reproduced in any way
without express written permission from the copyright
holder.
|
