|
"Funeral Home Humor"
Family
members were at the funeral home making arrangements for the burial of a
deceased parent. It was a sad event and tears frequently came, unbidden.
Then, someone mentioned that it would not be long before they would have
to return to make arrangements for the other parent, and for a favorite
aunt. Through their tears someone concluded that they should probably go
ahead and make arrangements for all three, and avoid having to go through
the pain again and again. The thought of making quantity funeral
arrangements for two people who were still alive broke the family members
through their tears into laughter, and on into the tears of laughter.
When
the funeral director returned to the room, they felt they owed him an
explanation for their laughter, but no one could get it out. (Guess you
would have had to be there!) The tears and the laughter were deep inside
and very close to each other. The tears of laughter flowed freely for a
while.
Laughter
is also close to the tragic. Being an alcoholic is tragic, but sometimes
seeing a drunk may move us on through the sense of the tragic to the
experience of laughter. How many family members have moved through tears
and the tragic to laughter in order to survive? Clearly, laughter may come
before or after tears, and laughter may accompany or cover pain and the
deeply tragic, because all of the above are
closely related. Perhaps tears and laughter, and tears of laughter are
the healthiest and most healing expressions of grief. There is no question
but that this is the most significant and functional level of humor.
It is
great when humor is recognized and appreciated, but it is even a deeper
gift when tears and laughter come, for laughter has the power to release
pent-up emotions and bring forth helpful memories. Tears have power of
their own: cleansing, washing, purifying, and baptizing that deep inner
place. It may be that it takes the powerful combination of both tears and
laughter to reach a place so deep.
There's no question about it. We've all been there! |
Little
Boy Bookstore
Archived
Copies of Something-New
Back to Home Page
|
