Laughter Heals the Soul

When was the last time you laughed so hard you almost peed your pants?

I'm proud to say it was yesterday.

I was helping my daughter, Gabrielle, declutter her basement. We were sorting through old keepsakes when she reached into a plastic tub and pulled out a wooden box. She started laughing hysterically.

What is it? I asked.

I tried to open the box, but it didn't budge. You had to slide the lid across it to get the rectangular jewelry box open.

She could barely get the words out because she was laughing so hard.

"The…Puzzle…Box," she said, rolling over laughing.
I burst into laughter, too. 

I had bought the box for her years ago when we were both hooked on the soap opera, "Days of Our Lives" and Hope had a puzzle box with a secret compartment. (You can watch it here on YouTube.) 

Silly as it sounds, that soap opera was our link to each other, even after Gabe went off to college. She watched the show at Ohio University and I watched it in Cleveland and we’d joke about all the Stefano drama and the silly episodes where Marlena was possessed and whether we were seeing Hope or Gina on screen. 

If I really want to get my daughter laughing, I could ask her, “Who are the real parents of  baby Elvis?” 

Only a true “Days of Our Lives” fan would know, and would definitely wet their pants laughing.