Motivational gurus will tell us things like if you have your why, the how part is irrelevant.
There's one big problem, perhaps among many other problems of all sizes.
**picture of page 405 in "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin
The universe never really tells us why.
Why does our sense of smell tie so strongly to our memories? Why do distant mountains appear blue? Why can't we seem to finally achieve world peace? Why does my sciatica act up for no apparent reason?
Science can often do a fairly decent job of explaining some things well. Sometimes long held explanations once confidently proven by science, get revised.
Some of the most important questions will leave us without answers for eternity. Despite this we have some options for dealing with them.
My preferred method for handling the issue of unanswerable questions is to listen to stories that pop out from the broader context. Context clues that come from the trees, water, light, wind and distant mountains that fade away into nothingness over the horizon.
These stories will come and go. When they go they are easy to let go of, because we know the elements that bring them about will be there tomorrow.
We don't really know why and that's ok.
These stories can help mark the days as the roll by. Events of significance and meaning, moments of happiness and sorrow come and go. The feelings that well up upon their memory come and go.
The mountains, trees, rivers, oceans and sky are there marking time with us. They seem to be just fine not knowing why.
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