06.27.10
Keep Your Eyes on the Reflectors
- Image by jtfreyen via Flickr
This week’s Comedy Around the World goes to the bike trail. What used to be miles and miles of railroad are now miles and miles of bike trails in Western Pennsylvania.
Occasionally you’ll encounter tunnels that are hard to naviagte. That’s because you can’t always see to the end of them. Especially if there is a bend in the tunnel.
What do you do? You follow the reflectors that line the middle of the bike path. If you keep your eyes on the reflectors, you’ll make it safely to the other side.
Humor is a reflector, too. If we are attentive to the responses we get, we can gradually adjust and fine-tune our contribution. That way, we need never fear that we’ll offend someone with our humor. Why not?
1. We are initiating a connection. A relationship that says, “I care enough (about you) to help you see things more lightly.”
2. We are keeping and allowing perspectives—ours and other people’s. Humor is based on seeing things in a different way. And allowing that our way may not be the most clever!
3. We aren’t taking ourselves too seriously. Even if we may offend, we don’t have to let it ruin our day. We can stay on our toes and constantly adjust. Moving like water, and coming through the other side.
When we keep our eyes on the reflectors that others give us, we can use our humor effectively and make it out of the tunnel safely.
