We humans are, if nothing else, predictable. When something
that matters in life goes wrong, the mind will surely wrap itself around that circumstance. A life-threatening
health challenge, loss of job, discovering that our child is taking drugs or our spouse wants a divorce - anything
that threatens the status quo will provoke fear, foster anxiety and destroy our peace of mind.
As quickly as the negative thought arises, we will very likely become joyless and will begin to invest a lot of
time and enormous amounts of mental energy writing, producing, directing, editing, and projecting sad or scary
mind-movies about the future.
At my first radiation treatment visit I had a profound awakening. I was on the radiation table, lying on my back
with my pants and undershorts down around my knees. A woman I had never seen before had put a block between my
feet and tied them together; she was going to take some x-rays.
All at once a most unexpected thing happened: I had an almost irresistible urge to giggle or burst out laughing.
The scene seemed so bizarre and humorous to me. I didn't giggle, but I did start having an imaginary conversation
in my head with the radiation therapist. I imagined myself to be a writer for a situation comedy on TV.
At that very moment, I decided I'd deal with the whole process of my cancer treatment program by observing it
in a humorous way. I'd be the comedy scriptwriter, playing it for laughs. Almost immediately I began to feel a
lessening of tension, and I realized that I loved imagining strange and often un-professional conversations with the
staff, some of whom did not exist. Once I got on a roll, I even started imagining conversations between the
equipment and me.
Of course, if one is in physical pain, or if the quality of one's life is severely diminished or gone, it is not a
laughing matter. In no way do I intend to disrespect or minimize that truth for anyone who is in that situation. I
hope that my musings will bring some smiles and laughter and reduce self-created emotional suffering for any
reader who is facing a difficult challenge in life. I also wish the same for their loved ones
Remember: Be silly.
... Bill Raines
