As we keep on crossing one stage after another in our lives, we do come across new challenges, new environments and new perspectives of our lives.  While most of it may be good for many, for some, there are tough times, that make one feel miserable.

Be that as it may, what we all need to do is to look at something very basic in each of us, and ignite it to the maximum extent -- our sense of humor.  

Without humor, there is no life.  There is no meaning in our lives.  It is perhaps for this reason that humor occupies a very important place in almost every single movie, in any Indian language.  We can search any movie, but without humor, there will be none.

For over a decade, a particular comedian called Vadivelu, had the Tamil film audiences laughing all the way.  His track of comedy was seen as very lively, and in tune with the lives of ordinary people.  What made his comedy click, was his body language, his mannerisms, and the way he expressed each and every aspect of the script of the comedy.  

The Tamil people simply lapped it up all, mostly because it offered them a good escape route to forget all their worries.  There were many movies that became hits only because the movies had comedy track solely managed by Vadivelu.

Such is the power of humor, which can make human beings far better human beings, forget all enemies and have empathy for others.  Humor can indeed change people, for it offers a big break from our routines.  Humor offers us solace and it can make people forget their egos.  Humor can make people enjoy life all the way.

Humor can be found everywhere.  When we see very small children below the age of three do their pranks everyday, we start laughing all the time, even unconsciously. We witness the natural beauty of their innocence, of their ways in making everyone happy.

That is exactly the beauty of life.  If we pause for a while, we will notice that humor can mean so much to our lives.  To hear children talk, before the age of three, is sheer joy.

Similarly, if offices, factories and even in the IT industry, humor can mean a lot to mundane lives.  There are a few organizations that have humor clubs, and the main role of these clubs is to encourage a lot of jokes between people.  Of course, there is one strict condition that such jokes should not offend anyone and should not concern their personal lives.  

In several organizations, there are informal groups that engage in harmless humor, both at work, and outside work too.  This often helps to cool down tempers, to make people understand each other better and to forget animosities. 

In gated communities, there are several places that have active humor clubs.  Literally everyone who lives in such communities are members of these clubs.  These clubs engage in superb humor and this leads to increased understanding of a tall order.

There is an urgent need to take these experiences to all other places.  In particular, efforts should be made to take such humor to the old age homes, where the inmates, who are old age people, need to interact with others, and need someone to whom they can talk to.  If such people can also make them laugh, the old people will also have lighter moments in their lives and they will become very happy.

Such old people, who often have a lot of ailments, will at least forget their worries and will learn to manage their lives far better.  The old people will also happily thank any effort in this regard.  

Humor also needs to find a big place in all social functions, weddings, religious functions and in all formal official functions.  For instance, the "head pujari", in a Tamil Brahmin marriage, made a good joke in a very timely manner, and that made the entire gathering laugh for quite a while.  

It went on like this.  The marriage was just about to be over in under five minutes.  The pujari took on the mike, and made a joke, in which he made a good submission:  the boy and the girl will be so eager to shake hands with you all but they have a  big duty to perform tonight (!), so do not shake their hands very badly after the wedding. Please do give them a break!!

There were peels of laughter all around, and the boy and girl were seen laughing too.  It was not a love marriage, and since the boy and girl had not met many times before the wedding, the joke made things far more easy than what could imagine.  When everyone shook hands with the boy and the girl, there was a big mention about the joke of the poojari, and this made the entire atmosphere very light in the situation.

There have been instances when humor has been able to give solace even to cancer patients.  Even criminals admitted in prisons do tend to have a softer side, and if humor can aid in hitting at this softer side, so be it.

We need to take a very comprehensive view of such sensitive matters, and even made humor clubs to visit prisons, share jokes and so on.  Already yoga and meditation have been proved to be very effective in changing prisoners and many have been certified for good conduct after such training.  Humor can indeed aid this process.

In communities that are prone to violence, the concerned authorities and voluntary agencies should organize cultural activities where humor can play a vital role.  For example, there could be short skits where the actors could mimic the comedy of their comedians.  This could lead to lighter situations, and the worst of criminals can also start behaving better after they hear such humor.  Though the root cause is often economic, the role of non-economic interventions can never be ruled out.  This is because money cannot buy everything.

Humor has to encouraged in every forum and in every place.  Let us all do it together.