The world is short on laughs these days. We have to look hard to discover humor. A friend of mine sent me the first illustration as he was returning home from work. The scribbler quotes John 3:16 -
"Go, call your husband, and come here!" Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well. The second quote is from Matthew 6:5-11 which is about praying in secret and the teaching of the "Our Father." We will probably never know the intention of the scribbler on the subway wall in Vancouver. The third scribble is obviously funny. It reads "Mike, about 4:30." Notice the comma after Mike!
The second illustration is a photo I took in Bregenz, Austria. Don Milo and I decided to visit his former monastery in this attractive tourist town. I could not stop grinning. These words were written on a wall as we left the train station. They read: "Mr. Nice is back!" I said to him: "Someone recognizes you! That's prophetic! Perhaps our God is smiling at us." It was a welcome sign where no welcome signs were visible.
Perhaps as we go through our day, we may observe similar graffiti which may attract our attention. We may find a chance to pause, to smile and perhaps, even laugh. I did when I actually saw these scribbles. We can channel noble thoughts. Instead of "being high-minded in a mindless sort of way" as Lord Byron writes, we can laugh thoughtfully and mindfully like our Buddhist friends.
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