Dear Reader:

How many time when attending a live theater performance have we seen these two masks…representing comedy and tragedy…yet never given the origin of them a second thought? It stems back to Greek mythology and early Greek theater performances.

Masks were originally thought to be the purveyance of Dionysus, Greek god of wine. His sphere of influence lent him a sense of duality: both the joy of drunken revelry and the darker emotions which wine can evoke. The specific comedy and tragedy masks were also associated with the Muses: nine goddesses who held sway over creative expression. The muse of tragedy, Melpomene, wore the sad mask, and the muse of comedy, Thalia, wore the happy mask.

On a practical note….the masks were used as instruments to help the audience interpret emotions during a play.

 Masks helped audience members identify the emotions onstage. The mouths were enlarged in order to allow the actors to speak more easily, and the facial expressions were exaggerated so that those in the cheap seats could still understand what was going on.

Like entertainment today…playwrights, who were able to connect comical and tragic feelings from the audience simultaneously, were highly esteemed in ancient theater. Audiences wanted (and still do) to feel a range of emotions while attending a play or movie or reading a book.

Yet…even though we like to experience a wide range of emotions in fiction, the reality is we mortals fixate on sadness and tragedy more than we do laughter and comedy. (Not so much so in fiction back in ancient times…)

The twin genres represented by the masks were both intended to serve as a form of catharsis. Comedy acts to deflate our preconceived notions and remind us how foolish we truly are, while tragedy permits us to grapple with dark realities such as death and failure in a safe context. Though tragedy is today considered the more “artistic” genre, the Greeks actually revered comedy more highly. The symbolic linking of the two with the masks emphasizes both their common roots as drama and the complex depth of human experience.

Source: Classroom: “What is the Meaning of Comedy/Tragedy Masks?”

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The other day I came across a very short spiritual anecdote that made me completely stop what I was doing and take in the truth of the story. Here it is: “The Wise Man”

Once upon a time people used to visit a wise man complaining about the same problems over and over again. So one day, he decided to tell the crowd, gathered around him,  a joke, instead of advice. Everyone  roared with laughter.

After a few minutes, he told them the same joke and only a few of them smiled.

Then he told the same joke a third time, but no one laughed or smiled anymore.

However, the wise man. himself, now smiled and said: “You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why are you always crying about the same problem?”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………How powerful is that…and sadly so true!

“Knock knock” jokes are making a come-back in the elementary grades. Eva Cate is really into them and Libby told me her youngest granddaughter, Rebecca, is too. I love it! Who knew “Knock Knock” jokes would be considered “cool” again at school?

Of course Eva Cate usually gets excited and gives the punch line away before the end…but we still laugh and laugh like it is the funniest joke we ever heard. (Even when we have heard it a lot…we are more polite than the wise man’s crowd of folks!)

Still the truth of the “Wise Man” story hits home. When something funny is repeated too many times we no longer think it is funny and stop laughing. Yet when something sad happens we, ourselves, keep re-living and re-telling it over and over again…continuing to moan and weep. If we stop and think about it…that is a strange trait in we humans. Animals can be sad… after something happens… but they eventually move on with their lives…not so, always, their masters.

So until tomorrow…Father, help us smile and laugh more, while letting go of sadness and sorrow. We know you and our loved ones would want us to experience life to the fullest for as long as we can.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

What helps me release sadness and welcome happiness, daily, is watching my garden smile through its new blooms. The Confederate Jasmine is blooming with its sweet fragrance, the day lilies decided to all pop out in formation yesterday, flower bowls and baskets are brimming with new life again….how can I stay sad with so much joy around me?  Bliss was certainly happy to see the first day lily surrounding her pop yesterday. The Japanese Maples are all taking off..