GH

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If you know who this is a photo of… then you know.

I was among the millions who tuned in every day to see what would happen next in the Luke and Laura drama that unfolded in the late ’70s, all leading up to that unforgettable wedding in 1981 on General Hospital. I watched faithfully through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s—until life eventually took over and pulled me away from my daytime ritual.

So imagine my surprise when, in a text thread with friends, someone casually dropped the initials “GH” and told us all we needed to catch up. Wait… GH? Could she really be talking about the soap opera? Do people still watch? Are Sonny, Jason, or the Quartermaines still around? I suppose they don’t have the likes of Elizabeth Taylor or Demi Moore stopping by these days, but it instantly sent me strolling down memory lane.

I spent the next hour scrolling through my phone until I found this old photo of Genie Francis, autographed to me personally. And of course, there’s a story behind it.

It was 1977. I was in junior high, at the school where my dad was the principal. Genie Francis was in her first year playing Laura on General Hospital, and like everyone else, I was completely obsessed. After school, 3:00 p.m. meant one thing: GH was a must-watch.

One afternoon, I was sitting in class, probably not paying as much attention as I should have been, when my name was called over the intercom to report to the principal’s office. Since the principal was my dad, it didn’t exactly strike fear into me, so I happily skipped out of class to see what he wanted.

When he opened the office door, there she was… in real life. My iconic soap star.

Apparently, her aunt worked at the school, and she was visiting. My dad, knowing exactly what this would mean to me, brought her into his office to meet me. She was incredibly kind, soft spoken and sweet.  We chatted for a bit, though I’m sure I didn’t say anything particularly insightful, sitting there completely starstruck. Before she left, she handed me this autographed photo as a keepsake… and I still have it tucked safely inside my yearbook.

Now, I know....it’s “just” a soap opera. But back then, we had the original watch parties. Life paused at 3:00 p.m. so we could gather and watch the drama unfold. And when Luke and Laura got married in 1981, it felt like (and probably was) the biggest events television had ever seen.

I’m not exactly sure when I stopped watching...although I'd guess I could still recognize a few characters today, but I’m not sure I could ever truly catch up at this point. Still, looking back… I guess I did watch for decades. Yikes.

I sent this photo to the group chat, and as fellow GH fans, I’m sure they appreciated it. It’s funny, the unexpected moments that end up meaning so much. Life has a way of handing you these surreal experiences: meeting Genie Francis, having Michael Bublé hand me a donut, being backstage at a Jimmy Buffett concert, then sitting front row, celebrating a tv show premiere with the star of it at the penthouse at Mohegan Sun, parasailing in Canada, Climbing countless mountains (begrudgingly) or chatting with Bruce Springsteen on the daily.... strange life happenings. 

The list could go on.

But even better than all of that? Grandkids.

My three little ones arrived for the holiday weekend, and Timmy immediately asked if I’d make him pancakes in the morning. And just like that, perspective shifts again.

I suppose we’re all remembered for something. Maybe it’s not the starstruck moments or the once-in-a-lifetime stories, but the simple, everyday traditions.

If that’s the case, I’m more than happy to let my legacy be great pancakes, and stopping the world as if it were 3pm on a GH day, just to spend time with my littles. 

“Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right station.” ~ Paulo Coelho