The Old Curiosity Shop Revisited

My wife sent me a cool article this morning about the "why's" of young kids - literally. If you've been around a child for any length of time, you have heard the inevitable "why" questions:

Why do I have to put my toys away?
Why does it smell in here?
Why do you go to work everyday?
Why do people die?

At first glance these questions seem innocent enough. UNTIL you continue to hear them over and over again. My three year old daughter has been going through this stage lately. The curiosity shop of life. Normally I would give the same response that every parent resorts to in these situations - because. But the other day, God reminded me that my daughter (and countless others like her no doubt) are simply asking about things in life that they do not comprehend. Her life experiences at her point in life are so minimal. What you and I take for granted she is just starting to notice, and the wonder and amazement of life are blooming in full color.

You might remember the popular beer commercial a few years ago with the tagline, "Why ask why?" Could this possibly be God's mantra as well? I highly doubt it. God created us to question our existence. Ultimately it's the only way back to Him. Our discoveries in the process are what we call "life." To stop asking why would be to ignore life altogether. Which is "why" I just don't get it when people accept everything they are told for what appears to be truth. They are force-fed information (whether it's politics, work, or gasp, even religion) and choose to accept it without thinking on their own. They stopped asking the why question a long time ago and are content to coast on someone else's intellectual musings.

I started thinking about all the things I wanted my son and daughters to experience in life. I forget that even though I may know about something or have had that experience in life (it may even seem mundane at some point), they are just waiting for the chance to share in those experiences - I just don't afford them the opportunity. Even the simplest of things (say, flying a kite?) can be a new joy to our kids. What I might take for granted they see as (pardon the expression) a whole new world waiting to be discovered.

You may be wondering "why" I am writing about this subject, but maybe the more important question is "why" you stopped asking the question in the first place?