Why?
Why is such a small word yet it carries so much in the way of description when you consider all of the possible meanings. When my kids were young, and probably when all kids were young, why seemed to be their favorite word.
"Dad, why are there clouds on some days and no clouds on other days?"
"It has to do with the air," I'd answer. "I don't know a lot about it but when cold air and warm air meet they make clouds." (I don't even know if that's quite right, but the joy of it all is that kids will normally buy your answer, even when you're bullshitting them. Of course, there is always the follow-up question).
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Through the years there have been so many discussions that started with the kids asking why and me admitting, sometimes because I didn't feel like talking about it, that I just didn't know. Other times, I fed them bullshit and tried to see how far they'd carry it.
"Mom, Dad said the moon is made of cheese."
Some of the questions I heard through the years that we're borne of wanting to know why:
"Dad, why did God make some people short and some people tall? Why did God let that hurricane kill all those people? Why does it snow so much in Buffalo? Why can't the Bills win? Why did God make dogs? Why did God make sharks mean? Why do we go to church every week? Why do you eat pasta every week? Why do we have to go to school and learn?"
Just natural, every day questions. Today, a why question stopped me dead in my tracks.
Jake and Sam were off to see their cousins. I asked them to help out.
"If Johhny, Rocco and Farrah are causing trouble don't laugh at them. Help them be good and pick up their stuff. Help your Mom and Aunt Lynn teach them. They need to learn to do things the right way and we have to help teach them."
"Why didn't God leave Uncle Jeff here to help teach them?" Jake asked.
"I don't know," I said.
And this time I wasn't bullshitting anyone. I just told my boy that sometimes we just never know the answer to why.
"Dad, why are there clouds on some days and no clouds on other days?"
"It has to do with the air," I'd answer. "I don't know a lot about it but when cold air and warm air meet they make clouds." (I don't even know if that's quite right, but the joy of it all is that kids will normally buy your answer, even when you're bullshitting them. Of course, there is always the follow-up question).
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Through the years there have been so many discussions that started with the kids asking why and me admitting, sometimes because I didn't feel like talking about it, that I just didn't know. Other times, I fed them bullshit and tried to see how far they'd carry it.
"Mom, Dad said the moon is made of cheese."
Some of the questions I heard through the years that we're borne of wanting to know why:
"Dad, why did God make some people short and some people tall? Why did God let that hurricane kill all those people? Why does it snow so much in Buffalo? Why can't the Bills win? Why did God make dogs? Why did God make sharks mean? Why do we go to church every week? Why do you eat pasta every week? Why do we have to go to school and learn?"
Just natural, every day questions. Today, a why question stopped me dead in my tracks.
Jake and Sam were off to see their cousins. I asked them to help out.
"If Johhny, Rocco and Farrah are causing trouble don't laugh at them. Help them be good and pick up their stuff. Help your Mom and Aunt Lynn teach them. They need to learn to do things the right way and we have to help teach them."
"Why didn't God leave Uncle Jeff here to help teach them?" Jake asked.
"I don't know," I said.
And this time I wasn't bullshitting anyone. I just told my boy that sometimes we just never know the answer to why.
Comments