Just after the Christmas holidays, my father-in-law got into a car accident in New York.

He found himself sandwiched between two cars and by the time it was all over, all the airbags in his SUV had been deployed.  His vehicle looked like a soda can that had been stomped on.

My father-in-law is 84 years old. He was alone in the car.

You’re probably thinking that this is pretty bad news. And you’d be right to think that.

I have to say that when we read the incoming text about the accident, we were preparing for the worst.

It was hard to see the silver lining in this story.

At the hospital, they discovered that he had a 75% blockage of the main artery in his heart. He was also suffering from pneumonia.

He hadn’t been feeling well over the holidays. But, he was too stubborn to get himself checked out. He thought it would pass – eventually.

The accident forced him to see a doctor.

It forced me to think.  How many times does this happen in our lives?

We fail to meet English proficiency requirements on the TOEFL, IELTS or CAEL.

We bomb a qualifying interview.

We don’t get the job that we want.

And we automatically think that it’s a bad thing. Time stops. We slump into despair.

But is it really a bad thing?

It “sure sucks“, as my niece and nephew would say. But, is it a bad thing?

Sometimes we just need to look at what happened with a fresh set of eyes.

In 2018, I’d like to continue blogging and podcasting about practical tips and advice to help you improve your English-language skills.

In the coming months, I will also be introducing more low-cost, online workshops and courses.

My next blog entry will be posted on January 24, 2018.  It’s about the perils of writing with too many adverbs.

Oh, by the way … in case you’re wondering:  my father-in-law is back at home.  He has a brand-new stent in his coronary artery, thanks to a team of talented doctors and healthcare workers.

We’re thankful that he’s still with us.

So, here’s to another great year, filled with more wonderful things to learn!