The Healing Power Of Humour
by Nigel Taylor
Today I recall an event that occurred at my grandmother’s home when I was a young boy of eight years. At the time of this particular visit to “Nan’s”, my father arrived some time after the rest of the family. When he entered the house, my grandmother took him aside. Though an otherwise loving mother-in-law, she scolded him. In a nutshell, the reprimand involved his sense of mischief. She “warned” him that if he continued to play practical jokes and make fun and light of all situations encountered in life, his son – yours truly – would surely turn out to do the same.
Well, my grandmother either had a non-diplomaed degree in psychology or she was extremely psychic. My father did not change and I did turn out somewhat the same as he.
Humour had a way of following my father around his whole life. No matter how dire the circumstances, he always found a way to look deeper into a situation and see the funny side. Even throughout his own illness and suffering, he kept his deep sense of humour.
The Short Circuit!
The truth is, humour simply is a short circuit to a logical line of thought. It enters a scenario wherein preset patterns of thought, built upon accepted mass cultural patterns are firmly set and then – wham – someone throws a circuit breaker; with a joke, or some other humorous idea or action.
This is the essence of all good humour – to be able to take something that fits and runs with normalcy and then tear it back upon itself to bring forth either the absurd or ridiculous.
Sometimes folks take offense at humour, indicating that the world is too serious a place, with too much suffering, to engage such trivialities. And yet, the power of humour lies in its ability to bring change where the serious, normal, mass cultural hypnosis of our day fails us. Just try presenting the news items that are offered on “The Daily Show” without humour. Not only would they fall flat, but they would also fit snugly into the academic dialogue that supports a continuation of the same problems our world faces.
Mark Twain said of humour: “Humour is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place.”
A great take on this is presented in the film “About Time”, starring Bill Nighy. I will not run the story by you, but instead reference just the end. At the close, the main actor decides he can either live each day with a serious disposition or he can run the day with a sense of humour; finding light and fun – and a sense of gratitude – in all situations. He tries both ways. And he ends up seeing the overriding benefit of the latter approach. It is a great film to watch, and of course it is a comedy!
Today!
So today, no matter what unfolds in your day, look deeply inside and search for the short circuit that will bring you relief from the challenges that present themselves to you.
Do this one day at a time. Start small and end up big. Soon you will find the world is full of very serious people who are living other people’s beliefs and defending them as final. When you can see the humour in their actions, you are then one step closer to being able to laugh at yourself. Then the healing begins.
Have a wonderful life!