Side-Splitting

For some time now, I have intended to develop a charming Australian pourquoi story that I found in an anthology years ago but have left simmering ever since on a back burner because I just couldn’t find a way in. The central challenge of the story is to get an angry god to laugh. So, laughter as antidote to anger is the basic thematic premise of the piece. My search of both “laughter” and “anger” on OED reminded me that anger is, as the linguistic origins suggest, associated with “suffering,” “anguish” and “torment.” But more interesting in that it was unexpected, were references to “tight,” “painful” constriction as well as “narrow.” In the story, laughter is a way of opening up, of release. Although I’ve always only intended this tale as a fun piece for children. I now see how far the message can go to support the role of laughter and humor as healing those held captive by not just sorrow, but also rage. Elizabeth Ellis suggested I find ways to get laughter into the sets of the folk and fairytales I tell to adults about transcending physical, emotional, personal suffering. I don’t know if this story would ever be used that way; at this point, I just intend to use it to invite children to laugh, and that alone is enough, more, more, more than enough.