Why?
It’s the shortest question in English. But just three letters in a word could not contain more importance for humanity.
Why do something? Why did something happen? Why am I/we here on this planet? Why do I have the ability to even ask ‘why’?
From the simple question comes complex responses. There is a story that gets passed around about a Masters of Philosophy program with this exact question on the final: Why?
It was the only question in a 3 hour exam.
People began furiously detailing different perceptual models, quoting historic philosophers, and throwing in detailed and well-documented authorities on the topic.
In the midst of the fervor, the class sees one student rise after just a few seconds into the exam, and watched as he walked to the professor’s desk and turned in his test.
Bewildered, the students continued to write for the entire time alotted. When grades came out, there was only one person with an ‘A.’ Everyone saw that it was the person who turned in the test merely seconds into the exam.
Equal parts furious, curious, and confused, the other students demanded to see what he wrote. Surely he had cheated.
The professor, with the permission of the student, revealed his exam. It looked blank from afar, but up close all that could be seen was one word: “Because.”
How do you feel about that answer? Do you think he deserved the highest grade? Do you think he had a higher understanding and mastery over psychology and philosophy? Do you think it was a cop-out by the teacher?
Well I can guarantee you that not all of us are content with accepting that kind of succinct response to the question of why.
There are countless examples of attempts to seek understanding to the underlying reason behind our life and our existence.
Some use mindful meditation to do that.
Some turn to spiritual leaders for answers.
Whether we assume we have a great role to play in the universe or not, to find one’s purpose is a universal desire.
Many have found purpose in realizing that the current pull of society is not right and seek to change society’s course.
Some are thrust into situations in which they have to find purpose hidden amidst a new context of their lives.
Some fail to find purpose until the end, when staring in the face of death. An encroaching and palpable end to one’s life motivates to put some type of logic behind one’s existence here on earth. With the end in sight, retrospection tends to take over.
So the first step to understanding one’s purpose is to understand who one is–your existence and what makes you you.
Your hammer drives nails into the wood with a purpose. But how did this purpose come about? How did you come to even have this hammer?
It begins with recognition of your existence; the continuous rediscovery and whole-hearted acceptance of your self, of you.