One of my most memorable times of her laughing so hard she had all of us about in tears and not just the eye tears but the leg tears as well.

We lived on a cul-de-sac and would often go walking in the evenings. Our dog, Duchess, the smelly but rather cute Basset Hound, would often follow us. She didn’t need a leash because when she would tire, she’d simply walk lazily back home and wait for us.

Anyway, this particular day, as we were completing our stroll, Duchess somehow managed to get behind Mawmaw and knock her flat on her rump.

Mom and I immediately checked to see if she was okay. She said she was and one of us, I can’t recall who, stuck out a hand to help her get up.

Apparently, the outstretched hand was funny to her because she started cackling. Every time one of us tried to help her, she laughed harder and harder. She laughed so hard, she became inaudible. The more she laughed the more we laughed.

I couldn’t tell you how long we stood out around the cul-de-sac laughing but finally Ned or Popaw one came out and had to lift her from behind to get her up because she couldn’t stop laughing long enough to be pulled up.

Of all the special gifts she had, and there were many more, her.laugher was truly one of her best gifts. Her uncanny ability to just make you feel special because her laughter made you feel good about being you.

She was always a little ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

Thank you, Mawmaw for teaching me about the gift of laughter!