Uncle Milty with Lucy and Ricky (Now that's funny!)
Angels can fly because they take themselves so lightly. This phrase is attributed to Gilbert Keith Chesterton. He is obviously reminding us that we adults mostly engage in a somber approach to our daily lives. We forget to appreciate the humor and fun that accompany us. We do battle with our work, our finances and even our recreation, friends and families. We take inventory at the end of the day of what we have accomplished. We examine our to-do lists as if we have to prove we are worthy of breathing air. One of the paradoxes of life is that by taking ourselves lightly, we are actually better able to frame ourselves and our work more seriously. There seems to be an effort afoot to hide this great truth. It is not unusual to see grim faced people working at our grocery stores, banks, retail businesses and churches. They seem to be burdened with all of the great weight of the world. This demeanor is so prevalent that anyone who greets us with cheerfulness is almost suspect. What is happening to our collective sense of humor?I work in a field of dire circumstances. The people that I serve (and who serve me) are engaged in a life and death struggle between addiction and recovery. Yesterday, I encountered a young man who embodies good humor. He has suffered plenty of loss due to his addictive disease yet continues to find fun in life. Tom sat across from me in my office and began to weave fun into our conversation. "Can my dog benefit from buprenorphine?" he asked. I was caught off guard and stammered out some line about dogs having similar pain receptors to humans and all mammals. This was his opportunity to spin a tale of doggie pain due to a medical condition, a veterinarian who admonished him for titrating the poor little guy too quickly off of his pain medications and finally the pet's withdrawal symptoms. Fido was sniffing at the medicine cabinet. Would Suboxone be an appropriate measure? I finally got it and joined in the fun. We talked in mock seriousness about Doggie-Anon and Pet Narcotics Anonymous. It was just great. Tom has not only embraced his own recovery but is having a good time with it. He is taking himself lightly.
There is certainly a time to grieve. There is also a time to celebrate and live life fully. We need to take notice of all the beauty and riches that surround us. We are not called to mourn our lives away but to give thanks, receive pleasure and be good to one another. It is time to have a good laugh. Let's break some of our adult habits and let loose with a joke. It will do no harm. Let's lighten up and fly with the angels. By the way...we are starting a chapter of NAP (Narcotics Anonymous for Pets) in Greenville, SC. Feel free to google us and bring your dog or cat to the next meeting. But only if they have admitted that they are powerless. SERIOUSLY.
