There’s an Irish proverb that says, “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.”

God, do we need both.

There’s a lot of darkness in the world right now. Think of all the “nice” things we once had that the Trump/Musk regime have taken away from us. It is an extensive list, sure to grow by the day. Much of what they have done is clearly illegal, but it is all done because of fear.

“Fear of immigrants. Fear of people of color. Fear of equality for women and LGBT people. Fear of religions other than Christianity. Fear of non-existent conspiracies. Fear of the media. Fear of social progress.”

People around the world are hurting because of the cruel deeds undertaken in our name. To this regime cruelty is the point.

But life is more than despair. We can see light and we can be the light. Waging Nonviolence is marking the many ways that Americans are pushing back against fascism and authoritarianism. Resistance is alive. Politicians are carrying the fight forward, noting that “when real constituents feel real pain and voice their anger, [Congressional] Republicans [will] need to decide how far they’re willing to go for Trump while stiffing constituents.” As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

With both despair and wonder in this world, we should remind ourselves of the many places we can find the wonder and light. The context of the passage “Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it” is, of course, Biblical (John 1, verse 5). Handel captured the spirit of this verse in Messiah, when he wrote out of pain and imperfection to create his musical monument to hope . . .

. . . even when rage among peoples and nations has always been with us.

Many are using this particular Christian season of Lent to focus on finding light in darkness. In A Season for the Spirit, The Rev. Martin L. Smith writes,

“What we are called to give up in Lent is control itself . . . Lent is about the freedom that is gained only through exposure to the truth.”

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A good laugh is good medicine

During the craziness of the past six weeks, I’ve intentionally tried to spend time each day focused on finding light in the world. It is part of the cure mentioned in that old Irish saying. I look for things that will bring a smile or lead me to laugh out loud. It is necessary because, as one pundit noted, we are caught in a regime led by “the unfunniest person alive.”

“He has zero sense of humor. His funny gene was arrested at about age 9 (which is roughly four years later than his empathy gene).”

Lord knows we’re not going to get any laughs out of that bunch. Since Al Franken (a professional comedian) stepped down from the Senate, we haven’t really had any comedy stars on the Democratic side although Tim Walz shows some promise. Satirist Andy Borowitz suggests that “laughter is better than crying. And mockery trumps tyranny.”

I like to think of laughter as a form of self-improvement.

For some time I’ve been lucky to find humor in bumper stickers.

Several of these are old gems and others I’ve only seen around town in the past few weeks. One of our townhouse neighbors has a relatively new one that asks the existential questions: about driving, engines, and pain in the world.

A neighbor in Takoma, DC, is letting us know that they bought the car before they knew Elon was crazy.

Bumper stickers often tell you exactly where the car owner stands . . .

. . . and how you can respond.

Surprisingly, I saw this final one in deep-red Florida last fall. While it may not be funny, it is true, and I found it somewhat encouraging that it would show up in a place that often seems to have lost its capacity to think.

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Good music also brings a smile

Here’s a musical break for the week of St. Patrick’s Day with the great Irish band Solas playing Laurel’s Reel / Dougie McDonald’s / Dick Gossip’s. That’s followed by two of my favorite Irish musicians, Mick McAuley and John Doyle, with the spirited Silver Spear Set.

The Irish have another saying that reminds us of the blessings we have:

“Do not resent growing old; many are denied the privilege.”

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Spring has arrived

This week also brought the start of Spring and the Cherry Blossom Festival here in Washington. That will bring a smile at any time, but these beautiful trees with their flowery branches will be especially welcomed this year.

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Other things that tickled my fancy

We’ll end with a couple of unrelated items designed to bring a smile. First is an old Soviet joke that seems relevant for our times.

And while it isn’t an Irish tune, Jon Batiste’s Freedom is simply wonderful. If you don’t smile at this, well . . .

So pay attention out there. Smile. Seek the truth. Push back against fear. Work for justice (despite what this bumper sticker implies). And use your turn signal!

More to come . . .

DJB

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash