As with most people, I have inherited many different traits, but will concentrate on just one--my laugh, which is loud and uninhibited.
I had never noticed this trait in myself until one of my daughters drew the attention of extended family when she was just a toddler. She was extremely shy, but had an infectious, loud laugh, which was compared to mine. As far as I can tell this trait is inherited from my maternal side, as I noticed that at least one of my mother’s sisters and her mother all had similar laughs. Unfortunately, this is as far as I can trace it, as my mother’s grandmother died prior to her birth. I am inclined to think it is a female trait as it is also found in one of my nieces and various female cousins.
This trait has probably eased my way through life. As the old saying goes, ‘Laughter is the best medicine’.
It has also led to me reconnecting with people I hadn’t been in contact with for years. While attending The Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne in the mid 1990’s I was approached by a girl I had known at school but hadn’t seen for twenty-five years. She heard me laughing and recognised the laugh. We have remained in touch ever since.
On another occasion, I was in the Benalla newsagent looking at humorous Birthday cards and laughing to myself. A lady approached me and said she recognised the laugh. We had not seen each other for over twenty years, as I had left Benalla in 1983 and only returned to live in 2007!!
Overall, I consider my laugh a blessing, but have no idea how it has affected others in the family who also inherited this trait.
Margaret McCrohan
February 2021
I had never noticed this trait in myself until one of my daughters drew the attention of extended family when she was just a toddler. She was extremely shy, but had an infectious, loud laugh, which was compared to mine. As far as I can tell this trait is inherited from my maternal side, as I noticed that at least one of my mother’s sisters and her mother all had similar laughs. Unfortunately, this is as far as I can trace it, as my mother’s grandmother died prior to her birth. I am inclined to think it is a female trait as it is also found in one of my nieces and various female cousins.
This trait has probably eased my way through life. As the old saying goes, ‘Laughter is the best medicine’.
It has also led to me reconnecting with people I hadn’t been in contact with for years. While attending The Australian Open Tennis in Melbourne in the mid 1990’s I was approached by a girl I had known at school but hadn’t seen for twenty-five years. She heard me laughing and recognised the laugh. We have remained in touch ever since.
On another occasion, I was in the Benalla newsagent looking at humorous Birthday cards and laughing to myself. A lady approached me and said she recognised the laugh. We had not seen each other for over twenty years, as I had left Benalla in 1983 and only returned to live in 2007!!
Overall, I consider my laugh a blessing, but have no idea how it has affected others in the family who also inherited this trait.
Margaret McCrohan
February 2021
This story, written for the Family Research class, draws upon an As Time Goes By 500 word project title and so has been included with Marg's stories.
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