He
believed every problem had a solution if you studied it carefully enough.
But there was no simple solution to what we were hearing.
The doctor explained that Ethan might have far less time than any of us had hoped.
I felt as though the ground had disappeared beneath my feet.
When we returned to his room, a football game was playing on television.
Our team scored.
For one brief second, Chris forgot everything.
He jumped up and shouted,
“Yes!”
Ethan burst into laughter.
Then Chris suddenly remembered where we were.
His smile vanished.
He leaned toward our son.
“Are you okay, Captain? Did that hurt?”
Ethan frowned.
“Dad, I just laughed.”
“I know, buddy.”
“I’m allowed to laugh. It doesn’t hurt anything.”
Chris sat down quietly.
I lifted my phone and photographed them.
I didn’t realize it then, but that photograph marked the beginning of a habit that would slowly
