This morning I witnessed something special: my daughter’s first laugh.

It all started with a cereal bag. And for those that know me, I used to be obsessed with cereal. During college, I used to buy dozens of boxes of cereal. Stuff them in bags. Hang them from the handle bars of my bike. Bike a couple miles home. And then decorate my wall with cereal boxes. I would eat all the cereal and repeat. One of my best friends even bought me a dog bowl to eat my cereal from since the human bowls just weren’t big enough.

Anyway, I digress. Back to my daughter.

My daughter, Clarie, has always taken an odd interest in my cereal bag. (Maybe it’s in her genes.) I brought it to her. Whenever she touched the bag, I pulled it back. Over a few minutes, she became more and more interested in what was going on. Eventually she started to smile. Then, with some more time, there was a half chuckle. And then it happened.

Claire started to really laugh.

It wasn’t just a half smile or a pretend laugh. She was really laughing.

Life is special, and life is short.

We only live once.

So, live a life worth living.