Who Will Make The Clown Laugh?
by Rev. Robert J. Hermley

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The clown finished his act to the deafening roar of the crowd, and the tumultuous applause of all.  The crowd left; the lights dimmed, and the clown went slowly back to his van to spend the evening alone in thought.

He looked at himself in the mirror and shook his head.  He took off his ridiculous wig, and looked at himself once again long and hard. He thought of his early youth and the difficult times he had all of his life.  Life had always been rough for him - poverty, study, health.  He had never really had it easy.  He had to work as long as he could remember - He had always enjoyed notoriety.  People said he had the gift of making other people happy.  When people were sad, they often came to him to be cheered up.  Solemnly he continued to think, and as he looked at the stupid painted-on-smile, two large ears rolled down the face of the clown.  How come he could make others laugh, but could not feel that happiness in himself?  The painted-on-smile, hid from others the deep sorrow and aloneness he felt within himself.

But, he'd go to bed now, get up in the morning and begin all over again tomorrow.  He would be ready with his big smile, the floppy shoes, and his silly antics to help others forget their troubles and get them to laugh.  No one would guess the sadness he felt in his own life.  There was no one to make the clown laugh.  The joy he would ever know, was that he had helped others.  That was something; and he understood that God would know even if others didn't notice.