What did you do this weekend? Me, I went to synagogue and a church, met up with comedians that are Jewish, Muslim, and Christian, and made jokes about the bible. It was exactly what I needed. Interfaith Comedy (click here to see the website) is a collective of comedians from different religious backgrounds that tell jokes about their religion. Nothing spiteful. Nothing to tear down other religions. Nothing that divides. Just the funny stuff. And why not? Anyone that has done anything with religion has seen some funny stuff during service. I have seen wigs fall off. I have seen clothing that hurts your eyes when you look at it. I have heard kids say things that were out of line, but the truth. How can I not share that laugh with others? We all need that laugh. I need that laugh.
Most days on Sep 11th, I don’t want to leave the house. There are a lot of people who have far more traumatic stories from that day. Mine isn’t at that level. It’s more of a “sorting out what happened and figuring out what’s next in life” type of story. And like everyone else probably, I figured out the next steps and moved on. Until the date comes up again. And I need a min just to sit still and reflect on what happened. That was my routine of being alone and reflecting on that day. Until last year.
Last year on Sep 11th, I was booked on 3 shows. Two were online, and one was in person. The online shows allowed me to be alone with my thoughts other than the time online during the show. The in-person show meant leaving my house and going to a venue. It had been 20 yrs since I spent time with others on Sep 11th. The show was put together by a friend raising money for a 9-11 charity. I’m pretty sure that’s the only reason I agreed to go. I’m glad I did. Between jokes and music, it felt good to. I think what I got out of it was the ability to help do something that brings a community together without it being a somber event. I think people need that. I needed that.
So this year, when offered to perform with Interfaith Comedy, I looked forward to being out among people. Being around funny people, saying funny things, hearing funny things. All with the hope of bringing people together to build a community on a day that divided that same community. I found a new thing to do on Sep 11th; tell jokes about the Bible.
Story Telling On Purpose 