Laughter versus comedy…one in the same or neither is playing the game? It’s like legendary professional wrestler Rick Flair taking on Mickey Rourke who portrayed a legendary professional wrestler in a movie. Although Rourke recently found himself in the midst of a major brawl on national television…wipe away the sweat, makeup and guts to climb in the ring and in the end he’s only a rough tough actor. Sure, he’s had his fair share of beatings but that doesn’t make him a wrestler.
Comedy may make you laugh but not all laughter is fed by the roots of comedy.
Constantly fit onto the pages of daily drama are quick attachments. See people laughing, must be having fun…gotta get me some. Yesterday we spoke about the low burning blue flame connected to nervous comedy or that which feeds a willingness to laugh as a way of socializing or to make a person in power feel more important.
It’s a constant behavior that creeps beyond the four walls of business straight into our everyday adventures.
In Tae Kwon Do tournaments I tend to laugh at those set to spar me. To stand across from someone whose face is smooshed by an oversized mouth guard, helmet tightly wrapped around their head like an Eskimo’s igloo and acres of padding vowing to protect what little shins, forearms and ribs they have left…it forces me into laughter. I’m about to take on the Michelin Man. Maybe I’ll score a free set of tires!
Laughter is contagious…I don’t step into a brightly lit colorful circle to serve up some comedy, but through laughter, my goal is to lighten up the load. Most of the monsters across from me look as if they’ve just seen Freddy Kruger or the freak from SAW…one look at my mug and suddenly they want none.
It’s easy see that comedy is nothing more than communication karaoke. There’s nothing like being on stage even if your audience is one.
But how can we use comedy for the good? It is good…right? Dr. Patch Adams put faith in its hidden purpose…those who laughed healed more quickly. Carlos Mencia envisions comedy as a bridge stretching over giant gaps created by separated views of culture. People laugh about Earth Day claiming they’ll never participate yet slowly yards and cars are becoming environmental friendly masterpieces.
Laughter can also turn arrows into flowers.
Early 70’s…an already war torn politically beat up Vietnam falls under attack, teachers and spiritual leaders scratch their names into a personalized contract to help invite peace to a starved people, their dreams nothing more than a wishful thought to make it through the night.
Sister Chan Khong is summonsed to a private meeting with city leaders and business owners, “Your name must be taken off this peace treaty.”
Angered by such demands, she bit her inner slip to keep silent…her mindfulness training now being used…for the single voice ordering her to shut all doors to achieving any type of peace inside such brutal times was the minister who led her as a child into a world of spiritual growth.
“Mr. Minister,” Sister Chan softly spoke, “As a teacher, I believe the most important thing we can do during this time of killing and confusion is to speak out with courage, understanding and love. You too were once a teacher before having this high power in government. You are like a big brother to those of us who’ve chosen to teach.”
Silence filled the room like bombs bursting only three yards away. Their eyes locked on separate actions that required attention for his former student faced lifetime imprisonment. Through mindfulness Sister Chan opened the one time ministers heart but what led her words through tempered goals was a tiny chuckle not hidden from the world when she said, “You are like a big brother.”
You could see it in the ministers eyes…he had become softened.
Thinking and living in the light of mindfulness serves as water for the seeds of compassion. When you see clearly, we no longer feel as if we’re victims of violence. The hearts of those labeled enemy begin to feel allowing then to grow as friends.
Through well written shapes of media we are constantly kept abreast of our current states of violence…we see the anger, fear and hatred while learning how to turn during moments of suffering. Violence accumulates in baskets everyday; few of us have reason to believe there’s a strategy to better deal with a plan already put into play.
What leads most toward rivers of suffering? It’s us, our misunderstanding toward not knowing how to handle it. Quick! Get it off the front page! Everything must be ok… Learning to become responsible for our own pain and learning to work daily to transform it puts seeds in the soils of a deserted path allowing John Lennon’s most favorite word to blossom, “Love.”
As contagious as laughter, so is ones inner pain, fear and anger. Learning to turn arrows into flowers invites a new emotion called compassion. Your compassion has the power to change another person’s speech pattern. Learning to smile during times of irritation and anger lifts your presentation toward victory for all.
Celebrate Earth Day everyday by never taking your eye off the animal extremely close to destroying it for the rest…make a concerted effort to water the seeds of violence with compassion. Bring relief to yourself and others.
Wisdom from Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Thick Nhat Hahn…steal his art.
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
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