Why? Why is the world coming to an end in Japan? Why do we wear green on St. Patrick's Day? Why does Winston sleep so much? Why hasn't Gaddafi gotten the hint? So many whys, so few answers.
I recently told a neighbor, after the neighbor listened to me field a string of whys, that if Eric and I were atheists, we'd have to reconsider because sometimes you just have to say "because God made it that way."
That said, however, I've challenged myself to answer all his questions as accurately as possible, which includes saying "I don't know," and using God or "because I said so" only as a last resort. So far, I've surprised myself and have generally enjoyed the challenge and refreshment of questioning everything and having to come up with answers I know but never think about, such as the answer to "why am I wearing pants?" Really. Why? Why
am I wearing pants? Why
do we have stoplights? Must we always say we're sorry?
Why do we need a federal currency? Why do we cook meals for sick neighbors? Why don't construction workers work on Saturdays and Sundays? Why don't I know when a train is coming?
Why aren't we out on I-40 getting a frozen ham? (thanks, Courtney)
So here's the list for yesterday, in chronological order. Frankly, I thought it would be longer, but then I calculated how much awake time I spent with Jed and it wasn't much: only about 5 hours after subtracting the time he was at school and taking a rather lengthy afternoon nap. But that comes out to about one "why" every 5 minutes when he's awake and that's plenty.
Almost all of these questions were simply "why?" He didn't actually say the entire question I've written out; he was just asking why in response to something I'd said. For example, the first question is "Why doesn't Mama know where the fire truck is?" but the actual exchange was "Hear fire truck. Where is it?" "I don't know." "Why?"
Happy answering . . .
Why doesn't mama know where the fire truck is?
Why is Mama keeping a list?
Why is it noisy? (frozen fruit being poured into blender)
Why is that an ad for a phone?
Why am I drawing on Daddy's book?
Why did Daddy turn the computer on?
Why did Mama take a lot of pills?
Why did Jed take a vitamin?
Why is Macon playing on his mat?
Why is Daddy upstairs
Why is Daddy getting dressed?
Why is Daddy taking the trash out?
Why did Daddy take his jacket off?
Why is daddy wearing his jacket?
Why is Mama opening the curtains?
Why does Mama want sunlight in the house?
Why is it raining outside? (This was the only question of the day, I think, that he asked spontaneously, in the form written, not in response to something I'd said.)
Why did it make a lot of noise when Mama dropped Macon's bottle?
Why didn't we ride with Daddy?
Why did Daddy go to work?
Why is Jed getting dressed?
Why should Jed wear pants?
Why is it too cold for short sleeves?
Why would one wear an undershirt?
Why doesn't Mama know where Matt is? (next door neighbor)
Why is Jed wearing a pull-up?
Why should we get potty trained?
Why doesn't Mama want to use diapers on Jed?
Why would Jed use the potty like Mama and Daddy?
Why is there a picture of Uncle Brian on the blog?
Why is my school at my church?
Why is there a hand print on my shirt?
Why are painters next door?
Why aren't church bells ringing?
Why are big buses in the parking lot?
Why is Macon crying?
Why is Macon hungry?
+4-5 more on the way to school that I forgot
Why are the construction workers working?
Why is that a golf cart?
Why isn't a bucket truck on our street?
Why are painters next door?
Why aren't the painters at our house?
Why did Mama eat lunch?
Why did Macon's car seat handle click?
Why does Jed's quilt have stripes
Why... one more at naptime that I forgot
Why is Lane next door?
Why is Lane our neighbor?
Why is Jed wearing pull-ups?
Why is there a car on my pull-up?
Why is there not a tow truck on my pull-up?
Why is the pull-up bag empty?
Why did Daddy not bring his bag home?
Why did Jed give his peanut-butter toast to Winston? (Yes, he asks why when only he can answer the question.)
Why did Betsy visit Jed?
Why is the man painting?
Why does he like painting?
Why is Santa sitting in a sleigh?
