United in mutually shared hilarity and mirth

One of the commonest traits humans share is perhaps a sense of humour – fancied or real. No doubt, it originates from (and is nurtured by) our all-too-human need to laugh which, of course, distinguishes us from other animals whose lives are apparently mirthless. And laughter, in turn, is a vital safety-valve that goes a long way in releasing all our repressed tensions, frustrations and emotions besides generating bonhomie. Sans humour, or at least a modicum of it now and then, our lives would indeed be intolerably cheerless and dull. Who hasn’t noticed someone reading a book or magazine and grinning or chuckling to himself or even bursting into unrestrained laughter as honest humour hits home hard?