Humor Therapy or Human Therapy?

BY SCOTT BURTON, REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION

Scott is a stand-up comic, former national champion juggler, cancer survivor, writer for prime time television, author of A Life in the Balance and more. See his website to learn about his high-energy comedy/juggling show that centers on the cancer of experience.

Is there a line between the therapy of a humorist and the therapy of a humanist? This stand-up comic has some ideas.

Humor is finally being recognized as a vital asset in most every level of American society. There is humor as entertainment, of course, as evidenced by the infectious proliferation of cable stand-up comedy shows. Humor is valued in communication as a way to get a point across and it denotes an openness to new ideas. Even the upper ranks of the business world are heralding its importance by calling for humor in the workplace, to the point that some corporate gurus and management pundits even recommend, on occasion, the wearing of a red rubber nose in the office or dropping a rubber fish into the fish tank. Though let's face it that's not humor, that's a cry for help.

The most encouraging development in society's new validation of humor is a renewed interest within the world of medicine and care givers. We are actually considering the need for "humor therapy." This new(?) angle has even received validation in the form of scientific studies through the medical community that says, yes, laughter does have healing qualities. To those of us who have battled chronic illness and have embraced laughter, this is certainly no surprise. This scientific "revelation" is like a 2 billion dollar study that says, "If you bathe every day you are generally cleaner than if you don't."

It's about time humor received its due. But, as is usually the case in this society, this one concept is taken on its own and is expected to be the answer. It is supposed that once we understand this marvelous "key" we can laugh away our troubles, laugh our way to better productivity and laugh ourselves into better health.

As opposed to the logical philosophy it deserves to be, humor in healing (and life) has become, instead, a new market. Seminars are held, conferences called, "experts" are brought in to show masses of people with life threatening diseases how to heighten their "humor potential." The patients are encouraged to wear silly paraphernalia, play games and sing songs to tap into the "comic within." For many, this approach has worked. And that is fine. It may even be how Howie Mandell got his act.

But, even having been a stand-up comic for the past 10 years and truly valuing humor, I don't believe it is the laughter itself that brings forth the restoration we crave. Laughter is good. Laughter is essential to all of our life systems. But laughter, alone, is not the key. Laughter is, instead, a pathway that leads us to true healing powers. Laughter is a glimpse of the passion that exists in our lives. It is that passion, that deep love and embracing of life that cures both our bodies and souls.

Passion, in this society, is not something we're told to look for within our own lives. It, along with feeling fulfilled with our lives, is something that comes to us (we're told) via: money, power, a perfect relationship, glamour etc. Unless we have a certain combination of those things we are not encouraged to love our lives. For the struggling patient of cancer or some other chronic disease that love of life seems even further away. Not only do you not have the things society says you must to be complete, now you have to worry about dying too! Inner strength is lost before it can even start.

What I am saying is love your lives anyhow! In sickness and in health. Laughter calls you to love your life. That is how it heals. Part of what gives laughter credence is, when we laugh, we let ourselves go. We are not so much in control anymore. We lose ourselves. Our fears dissipate. Our excitement for living heightens and, almost without knowing it, we achieve a positive attitude.

That passion, expressed in laughter, is our motivation to heal, achieve and is our expression of joy and of self. For me, even the thought of, because of chemotherapy, being stark raving bald and walking into a hair styling salon lifts my spirit and mind. I love the idea of walking in and, as they stare uncertainly, saying, "I'd like something new."

But not all people identify with laughter. For some it is reading quietly, others song, for some work, for others it's expressing love with another. For the survivor of any trial in life the need is there to find -- from inside -- what we love. It is the same passion we have when we express our individuality, the same passion we have when we feel for another. If it is laughter that brings you to that passion, so be it. But don't be fooled into thinking laughter is the only way.

The key, as opposed to what society tells you, is inside you.

We love to throw around important sounding phrases like 'quality of life.' That phrase has meant to denote there is something on the outside we need to enhance our lives. But the healing works from the inside out. Life is quality.

The evidence is right in front of us. If you are of Christian thinking, you can go back to your roots to see Jesus himself, upon healing the sick, would unfailingly say, "Your faith has healed you." He didn't have to say that. He could've easily started jumping up and down while shouting out and pumping his fist, "Yes!! I did it! Chalk another one up for the Messiah!" then strut around saying, "Who's the champ? I'm the champ!"

"Your faith has healed you."

Even in non-Christian thought this fits the healing from within scenario. It's common knowledge that we use only about 6% of our brains. 6%!! What are we doing with that other 94%? Channel surfing?!

Find the passion. And that goes not just for those who need humor and healing in their lives. These are words for all of us. We spend much of our time focusing on who we are, what we are, where we are and what we have. To heal ourselves we need to focus deeply and truly on that we are.

Laughter is the road (a road). It has all the healing qualities you can ask for — and it's free. Let's not forget the other roads. There are millions of them, as individual as snowflakes, as individual as you are. It is not humor therapy. Let's call it human therapy. Take one dose and pass it on.

© Scott Burton, reprinted with permission

HIDDEN LAUGHTER

Do you remember as a child being slightly scared and running to your parents for safety? Do you remember playing tag and narrowly escaping someone's outstretched grasp? Or how about the memory of sharing a story and savoring the telling as if it were a lip-smacking delicacy?

If you've ever experienced those moments, then you know what it is to laugh. Though it is not laughter as we often think of it, the rollicking vocal release. It is, instead, the inner laughter we all have that is often overlooked in our lives -- the knowing, the excitement, the constant realization of something true and special about life. That is the hidden laughter we forget in our lives almost every day.

It is indeed a subtle laughter. The best way to explain it is: Have you ever looked back on your life and only been able to shake your head with a resigned smile? That is the laughter. The laughter that acknowledges life is something greater than us, something magical but, by sheer grace, we are allowed to partake in anyhow. It is the laughter of family, of maturity, of birth, of knowing we aren't as in control as we think. It is the faint ring of God's laughter that echoes quietly throughout the universe like a gentle symphony. And once recognized, we see that there is and always will be a profound sense of laughter to everyday life.

We often think of laughter as something elusive, something we have to work at each day to achieve. We rent videos, read magazines and make special efforts to locate humor. But, in embracing the little, unrecognized laughter, the search is over. Laughter remains with us always. It is, though, a little less obvious, coming in the form of a genuine smile, a beautiful song, even a satisfying meal. It's a laughter that highlights the paper-thin difference between having humor and being human.

To me, that hidden laughter is just as important as the boisterous outbursts we hold so dear. While the out-loud expression of laughter stimulates endorphins to help heal our bodies, the inner laughter helps to heal our souls. It is the quiet, profound laughter telling us that, amidst all our troubles, life is still worth living.

During my own battle with cancer, I saw the hidden laughter in many things -- the identical bright red caps my brother bought for himself, my dad and me, in family dinners as the food was passed around the table, in the eyes of my children, in walks outside the hospital, in trees swaying in the wind. I remember once, my sisters and wife visiting me in chemo after the drugs had left me bald and thin. The moment they walked through the door I felt a joyful inner laughter simply knowing that I loved them as much as I did. And, because they loved me, they also shared some outward laughter, "You look a little different, Scott," one of them said playfully, "did you get a haircut?"

Hidden laughter is a sense of humor, joy and spirit that we can't bring about ourselves. It is there already and all we have to do is be willing to see it. And once that laughter is inside our hearts, we will also find ourselves laughing on the outside more than we ever thought we would.

Maybe games of tag are less plentiful these days, or running to your parents doesn't bring the same kind of comfort it once did. But we do still have stories to tell. We have moments to relish and memories to share. We have the knowledge of an unimaginable, lovable life to remind us to keep that hidden laughter not so well hidden.

© Copyright Scott Burton, reprinted with permission