My son got me to thinking today. He does what children his age normally do and endlessly quizzed me with a one word question over and over. Why?

Why ask why? Well because its will give you the answer that matters the most. Who? is kinda important, What? is a little more. Where? usually isn’t all that important. And while I must admit, How? does come in a close second, Why? takes the cake and the frosting. Its the one question that kinda gives you all of the other answers and gives meaning behind them. For instance, if you tell me that somebody robbed a gas station with a rubber chicken for some Vicks Vapor Rub and some Halls cough drops. Before I want to know who the guy is, what he was doing with the rubber chicken, where he did it or how he did it, I’m gonna be asking why? Because when you tell me that his wife, who is 9 months pregnant and has a severe cold and trouble breathing.  Add that to the fact that he’s broke, and I will understand that he had to do what he had to do.  I could care less about the other questions. Now while that was a bit extreme (a rubber chicken, seriously?) it proves my case that why is what matters.

Now back to my son, I think him and others his age got it right by asking us why? a million and one times. The reason why you should ask why is that it gets to the heart of the matter and tells the real reason behind why your doing what your doing. Like today (3 am), he asked me why I went to work and it began……..

What are you doing today daddy?

Going to work.

Why?

For the money.

Why?

Because we need money to pay bills and survive.

Why?

Because we live in a capitalist economy and we have to pay for what we get and use, and that includes rent and your toys.

(small delay, then) Why?

Because thats the way our founding fathers planned it I think.

Why?

Because we threw some tea in the ocean one day in Boston or something.

Why?

Because we wanted to be free.

Why?

Because free is the way to be!

Why?

Go back to sleep.

Why?

Because I said so.

Why?

Aden!

Goodnight daddy.

So like Aden proved, if you ask why until you can’t anymore, you’ll eventually get a deep and profound answer or the person your questioning will just have some fun with ya. Either way, its better than asking who? A million times and looking like an owl.