The Importance of Laughter
Tim Cunningham, assistant professor of nursing at UVA and clown for Clowns Without Borders, breezed through PVCC’s main building auditorium on Wednesday, March 6. He smiled broadly at the people sitting in the crowd and spoke to them with enthusiastic arm and hand motions. The atmosphere was comfortable and informal, allowing for those in the audience to mingle and interact with one another.
Cunningham cleared his throat gently, and the audience settled, watching him intently. He happily described his role at UVA, explaining that his passion for helping people encouraged him to pursue nursing. Cunningham then switched the projector screen from blank to a large picture of a clown. The audience shuffled in their seats. some of them laughed; some of them stared with expressions of discomfort.
After explaining his role as a clown for Clowns Without Borders, Cunningham grinned widely. “I’ve told people that I’m a clown before, and I’ve literally seen them go gray in the face,” He said, laughing good-naturedly.
To begin his presentation, Cunningham asked the audience to find a partner. After everyone had paired up, they performed a variety of different laughing exercises. The first was a counting game that left the room spluttering and giggling. The second was a name introduction game that resulted in hysterical laughter from Cunningham and from the people playing.
Through powerful and touching stories of tragedy, Cunningham explained the mission of Clowns Without Borders. This volunteer-run organization reaches out to communities that have been devastated and according to their website, “offers joy and laughter to relieve the suffering of all persons, especially children, who live in areas of crisis, including refugee camps, conflict zones, and territories in situations of emergencies.”
Tears streamed down rosy cheeks as the audience listened to the impact that Clowns Without Borders has made on the world. Sniffles gave way to giggles as Cunningham tactfully displayed a bright red clown nose on the screen.
“This is our passport,” he said, pointing at the display. “We have found that wearing the red nose makes us more welcome in situations that would otherwise cause tension.”
Cunningham ended his presentation by stressing the importance of resilience and laughter in times of struggle. After he had finished, the audience swarmed to him as he began packing his bag. He gracefully answered all of the questions he was asked. He encouraged the room to visit the Clowns Without Borders website at https://clownswithoutborders.org/.
“So long as you are breathing, you are able to laugh,” Cunningham concluded.
