How many times a day do you utter that word?
If you are a parent of a toddler, then “why?” is a question you are likely inundated with from sunup to sundown.
While a child may ask it in innocence, out of curiosity or just plain habit, adults typically mutter it in times of pain, desperation, and dismay.
How can three simple letters, which form one short syllable, open the floodgates to a massive deluge of despondence?
I know a lot of mommy bloggers who use this medium to ask why. Often it’s done in frustration, other times the question is far from hypothetical, and the writer is legitimately looking for answers.
I used to ask why.
I don’t any more.
Why?
Because the answer never made me feel any better.
I firmly believe there is a reason for everything. Unfortunately, the reason doesn’t always present itself as quickly or as precisely, as you’d like.
A while back I got an email from a friend, who constantly stuffs my inbox with forwarded jokes, weird photos, funny sayings and kooky anecdotes. Nine times out of 10 I delete them.
Here’s one I saved. You may have already seen it and not liked it, but for some reason it resonated with me and I reread whenever I have the urge to ask why.
Me: (in a tizzy): God, can I ask you something?
GOD: Sure.
Me: (frustrated): Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?
GOD: What do you mean?
Me : Well I woke up late,
GOD : Yes
Me : My car took forever to start,
GOD : Okay…
Me : (growling): At lunch, they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait.
GOD: Hmmmm…
Me: On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call.
GOD: All right.
Me: (loudly): And to top it all off, when I got home, I just wanted to soak my feet in my foot massager and relax, but it wouldn’t work. Nothing went right today! WHY did you do that?
GOD: Well let me see… the angel of death was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that.
Me: (humbled): Oh…
GOD: I didn’t let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that might have hit you if you were on the road.
Me: (ashamed): Oh…
GOD: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn’t want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn’t afford to miss work.
Me: (embarrassed): Oh…
GOD: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give a false witness about what you said on that call, I didn’t even let you talk to them so you would be covered.
Me: (softly): I see.
GOD: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn’t think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I’m sorry God.
GOD: Don’t be sorry, just learn to trust me… in all things, the good and the bad and don’t doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan.