Today while I was doing some errands, I overheard a mother and her preschooler having a conversation. The young child’s side of the conversation consisted of one word over and over… “WHY?” Flashing back to my days as a young mother, I couldn’t help but smile. Ah… parenting. Some will exhibit patience and answer each why. Some will exhibit wisdom, careful to give simple answers that the child can understand at that point in development. Some simply say ‘I don’t know’. Some respond with ‘you’ll understand when you’re older’. Others may try to change the subject or distract the child. Some answer – “Because I said so”. And a few my even look the child in the eye and say ‘you are driving me crazy…STOP’.
Quite honestly – I’ve been each of these parents at some point or another.
Quite honestly – I’ve been and continue to be the Child in this scenario.
As I stand still for a moment, I think about the fact that as we age the questioning doesn’t end. Our questions just become more complex: Why am I here? Why should I bother to try if I’m just going to fail? Why do I have to go through this? Why am I putting up with this? Why do I do so many things I don’t like and like so many things I don’t do – life is too short? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is this so hard? Why do I feel this way? Why doesn’t this make sense? Why doesn’t this person get it? Why doesn’t this end?
Questioning can be one of the most powerful methods for gaining insight and understanding. There is more that a question being expressed – you are stating where you are at (in your understanding, feelings, beliefs), you are communicating, exploring options, evaluating, clarifying, and anticipating.
Standing still, I’ve drawn several conclusions:
- Some questions need to be lived to find the answers.
- Some questions may never be answered on this earth.
- Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.(Dr. Seuss)
- Sometimes the questions are simple but the answers are complicated.
- There is One always ready to listen to my questions.
- With God, no question is un-askable.
- With God, no question is un-answerable – I will have an answer; sometimes immediate, sometimes through process, sometimes not the answer I wanted – and there are some answers I need to wait to hear until I am with Him in heaven.
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