“Laughing out loud. That’s exactly what we have been doing at the marina beach for over a decade, besides walking and talking. A group of senior and super-senior citizens, we gather at the beach at the crack of dawn,” says Subba Rao, a nonagenarian and the oldest member of this group. And, they laugh their way to good health. The interview with members of this group is being carried out against the backdrop of thunderous laughter. Mahalingam, a retired senior executive of the group, says, “I can read your thoughts, man. You are wondering why can’t we do this at home, aren’t you? You see, the other day, on reading a humorous piece the other day, I let out a guffaw, which provoked my son to say, ‘Dad, I’m on an overseas conference call with a client. You are disturbing me. Could you pipe down a bit?’ Since then, I laugh in measured tones at home. Doesn’t that explain why I cannot have this therapeutic exercise at home?” Sunil Narvekar, the youngest in the group, is chubby and exuberant. His t-shirt conveys a message: “Smile, it increases your face value”. He follows what he broadcasts. He smiles and allows the seniors to crack jokes at his expense. Spending some time with this group, I recall my good old days at office. My boss was a jolly good man who would crack a joke at the ‘drop of a hat’. His timing, intonation and body language were perfect every time. His jokes would elicit laughter from the grumpiest of staff. I would laugh out wholeheartedly and tell him, “Sir, you can switch profession and be a successful stand-up comedian”. Precisely why he would often call me to tell jokes. He understood that laughter is best enjoyed, when shared. Which indeed is the reason these seniors take the trouble to go to the Marina every morning and just Laugh Out Loud, together.

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