working out

Whenever my mother collapsed in laughter she'd wipe her eyes, try to catch her breath, and quote her own mother, "'I haven't laughed that hard since John died!'" I never quite knew what that meant but could only hope that it referred to Irish wakes. Given that my grandmother wasn't Irish and her husband's name was John, I can only guess. Still, going way back, that side of the family could always be traced by their raucous laughter.

Last week I played hookey with two friends and I thought of my mom and hers as I drove home that afternoon.

Don't you love it when someone shares your particular brand of humor? What joy to lose yourself in side-splitting, breathless, hysterical laughter. Our giggles and flat-out guffaws would have made little sense to anyone observing us, conjuring up memories of sixth-grade girls at a sleep-over. Imagine three middle-aged girls huddled around a kitchen table telling tales and sharing secrets over cups of tea and homemade muffins. Even now, remembering that day makes me smile.

My friend Joel had a lightning fast wit and nothing was more fun than the quips that flew back and forth between us. We saw many things the same way and delighted in trading our behind-the-scenes takes on life. Even the times we disagreed we could find common ground through humor. It was a great way to diffuse situations and lighten the tone when it became too heavy. We were able to share at a deep level as well, but I remember him best as a partner in play.

Joel died several years ago -- suddenly and without warning. He'd lived on the other side of the country for a while and before e-mail came on the scene we relied on occasional phone calls and cards to stay connected. I still miss him when I see some unique absurdity of life that I just know he'd get.

I recently told a friend that I've been moving at warp speed the past few weeks, crashing on weekends. Remembering last week's inspired foolishness, I'm reminded that one of life's greatest pick-me-ups is laughter among friends. The endorphins were pumping that afternoon and my heart was happy -- my favorite kind of cardio workout.

Memo to self: Get off the treadmill more often and keep working out with friends.