Laughter in our Aberrant time

CAN FUN & LAUGHTER BE THE HEALER OF OUR ABERRANT TIME?

Proverbs: 17.22

A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Psalm 126:2

Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “THE LORD   has done great things for them.” [The Bible]

Let’s explore the genesis of the idea that laughter & mirth, generated by humor, is an elixir for our physical & mental well-being. We must refer to the multiple verses found in the Bible to strengthen our view. We wonder at the practical wisdom expressed in the Bible when we see that today, doctors worldwide assert the multiple health benefits of laughter generated by humor.

The “Science of Laughter” is not a concept to be laughed off as absurdly trivial. Indeed, the power of joy that produces laugh is one of the most potent forces that can address the various crises of our sordid time.

We live in a time of biological threat when viruses are born in laboratories; power struggle & nuclear threat; terrorism & refugee crisis; unemployment; poverty & sickness. Suppose humor & laughter cannot cure all evils. In that case, it can undoubtedly enable us to survive the difficult times and develop a system of immunity within us to fight back the negative impacts with replenished energy!

Laughter keeps our life “flowing” when things, at large, seem to have come to a standstill. The ridiculous or the nonsensical are taken for granted when a friend lifts our low spirit with a merry joke. The hilarious photographs on Pinterest, & also, Cat videos & Bonobo monkeys on YouTube, seemingly, serve no purpose other than amusing. But when we introspect about the same, it can be realized how these different entertainment items support our mental & physical health!

The slap-stick antics of a hilarious Chaplin comedy or the hilarious British sitcoms, Black adder & Mr. Bean, played by the great comedian, Rowan Atkinson, can transport our insomniac brains to an elevated state of glee! Suddenly the crude, the mundane & the mechanized world appear colorful, and our perspective changes for the better! Even in Shakespeare’s comedies, we discover how merriment & laughter has always been a survival instinct for humanity! When Antonio croons on his “sad part” in the world, Gratiano answers,

“WITH MIRTH AND LAUGHTER LET OLD WRINKLES COME” ( Merchant of Venice, Act 1)

To lend credence to the belief of the greatest dramatist of the Jacobean age, modern science today affirms the tremendous significance of joy & laughter as a powerful defense mechanism against the problems of our complex day-to-day existence. The doctors recommend it as “the best medicine” that heals us to face the death threats that often show up in varied forms in different parts of the globe. It is time to take” humor seriously” or “seriousness humorously.”

In his ” Life is Beautiful, ” the Academy Award winner Roberto Benigni, his “Life is Beautiful” has well exemplified the assertion that laughter is valuable even in Holocaust-related contexts! In a different setting, Charles Chaplin, in his “The Great Dictator,” presents us with a brilliant caricature of Hitler’s serious ambition to project himself as a demi-god! In both the films, though of different times, laughter is a weapon against the oppressors. Benigni’s film affirms the beauty & worth of life despite Holocaust & its grim reality. It is an affirmation that life can rise above the harsh realities of time if we can laugh off its seriousness!

However, it is not just the impact of terrorism, oppression & brutality that threatens human life. The menace could be internal if triggered by the fear of death caused by incurable/ fatal diseases that afflict the human body.

Herein lies the “Hope Doctors “role, whose emergence is a new, worldwide phenomenon. The heart of the idea is to introduce jocularity amidst the suffering patients who live in confinement within the home or hospital wards.

Laughter in a hospital is not a common sight. It is also not common to run into medical clowns within its ambiance. The concept of using trained professional comedians for therapeutic support has not gained ground around the world. Hence, it is unthinkable to apply in a country like India, where hospitals wear a grim look of pain & fear.

Nevertheless, a former TV  Journalist in India, Diya Banerjee’s Documentary” The Hope Doctors,” surveys the new trend through Fif Fernandes, a retired nurse with hospitals in Canada, introducing the new idea in India. Assisted by her husband, Hamish Boyd, she operates with the Aravind Eye Hospital in Pondicherry. Besides, the documentary explores how Ashwath Bhatt, a famous comedian, is a regular pediatric cancer ward of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi.

The comedian visits with his company who are the funny actors with red noses & colorful wigs. It is heartening to see how their antics generate a chirpy atmosphere among the ailing children. One can hear twitters & happy squeals echo through the children’s ward in AIIMS, one of India’s largest public hospitals. The funny facial expression of the silver-haired lady, and the laughs she generates among the sick children, are highly fulfilling to watch!

Being funny can be a challenging job. The “Hope Doctors” believe that the trained performers can complement the medical treatment through mime, music & dance.

This technique could immensely contribute to the benefit of the severe patients, alleviating their pain, thus improving the atmosphere of the hospitals.

It is curious to know that the renowned advocate of the philosophy that “Laughter is the best medicine,” the American doctor & humorist Patch Adams, was the greatest inspiration of Robin Williams, the actor. The latter expressed laughter in seriousness & seriousness in laughter with subtle touches!

Indeed, we may conclude that the idea of mingling comic skill with nursing expertise for the patients’ general well-being is unique! It is positive & cathartic in its implication. Hence, we should not perceive medical clowning as an appendage but a practice embedded in the Holistic Health Care System.  Scientific evidence corroborates that healing speeds up with the strengthening of the patient’s mental health. Laughter lights up our minds to rejuvenate our bodies.

So always laugh whenever you find a chance because it is the cheapest medicine found in the world!

Days are pathetic, and nights are gloomy in the whole world, particularly in India today. The world is sick. It needs empathy and holistic support, which also includes “Laughter.”