What Happened to My Sense of Humour
My daughter is currently in a production of Spamalot the Musical. A wonderful performance that had me laughing out loud at the silliness of Monty Python. I still have “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” stuck in my head.
I really needed that show. It has been difficult to find the bright side recently. There is a reason I haven’t published anything for a while. I like to incorporate some humour into what I share, and I’m just not seeing it right now.
At this point, I am not even trying to be funny. I am trying not to be angry.
Yesterday, Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, was a somber day that I spent with a heavy heart recognizing of course my emotion is nothing close to the pain experienced by First Nations people. I was honoured to have the opportunity to speak, alongside my friend Joe, with a group on the meaning of Truth and Reconciliation and to share what I have learned working with Joe.
It is good to see awareness of First Nations issues increasing, but I still ended the day angry learning that our Prime Minister spent the day in a Canadian Government jet flying across the country to a vacation in Tofino. Sure, he is entitled to a vacation, but this was not the day. It isn’t like the rest of us that may have had a flight booked that we couldn’t change. He flew on a government jet that could have at the very least made a stop in Kamloops. Our government has made and broken promises to First Nations for 150 years. It’s time to step up.
And before all the Trudeau haters jump in, I know O’Toole said he would not have travelled, but if he had been prime minister would we even have a Truth and Reconciliation Day?
I’m angry that we had an election that we didn’t need that, instead of ending like elections used to with concession speeches and promises to work together, ended with more election speeches. What happened to “we are all Canadians that need to come together”?
I’m angry that we don’t seem to know how to, or be willing to, deal with climate change.
I’m angry at people blocking health care workers from getting to work, and at the crazy theories about vaccines that get thrown around as if they are facts.
I’m angry that we can’t get our shit together. I’m angry that I am not able to look at this situation with humour or sarcasm. Everything is all too damn serious.
But still…, I do still believe in our ability to make things right. I also know anger is not a solution. We need to work together.
So let’s try this: A conservative, a liberal and a new democrat walked into a bar. No joke. They just sat down and listened and gave consideration to what the others had to say.
Published
Originally published at https://shakeitupdotonline.wpcomstaging.com on October 1, 2021.
