Humor from injury

After the boating accident, everything felt different. My soon-to-be father-in-law had been struck in the head by the bow of the boat while out on the lake with his daughter. The injury had left him with significant damage to his skull, and he spent quite a bit of time recovering. Eventually, he was back at home, but the weight of the accident still seemed to linger in the air.

One evening, we were all sitting around the dinner table, sharing a meal together. In my usual clumsy way, I asked a question that, in hindsight, was probably better left unsaid. There was a brief pause, and then, with a twinkle in his eye and a wry smile on his face, my father-in-law responded, “I know I have brains because the doctor has seen them. What’s your excuse?” The room erupted in laughter, and for a moment, the heaviness of the past weeks was forgotten. Despite the seriousness of his injury, his sense of humour and sharp wit were intact, a reminder of the strength he carried within him. That moment, light-hearted and genuine, became one of the fondest memories of my time getting to know him.

(Photo of my three kids with their Grandpa)