Oh, great idea, Greg. Try to tackle this one in a few sentences…
I had this question posed recently, and it got me thinking. It’s the ‘great question’, and it’s been pondered by philosophers and theologians, musicians and poets, optimists and pessimists, believers and non-believers. Each with their own ‘take’ on the issue. So I asked myself – what’s my take on it?
If you had asked me a year ago, I would have looked at my life and asked back, ‘Well, why not be here?’ After all, I’ve certainly had my share of serious struggles, but I’ve lived quite the charmed life. I’ve been astonishingly lucky at love, somehow managing to talk an absolute angel into marrying me, someone who continues to take my breath away after over 30 years. I’ve invented clever things, I’ve helped deserving people, I’ve been recognized for my accomplishments, I’ve seen beautiful parts of this world – and I have a gorgeous dog.
But then everything
changed about nine months ago. At 30,000 feet over the Atlantic, and after 48 years of searching, I finally came to believe in God.
I had always assumed that if this crucial search ever bore fruit, that I would be ‘relieved’ – that I could finally ‘rest’. Far from it.
I’ve never known so much love, so much joy, so much peace. I’ve never been so relaxed, so forgiving, or so patient. I’ve never had so many friends, had so much to learn, and had so much energy. I’ve never been so excited about the future…and I’ve also never been in so much constant physical pain – which (coincidentally) also started on that same trip at 30,000 feet. And it’s still completely worth it.
So – ‘why are we here’? Well – and this is rather obvious – we have no opportunity to feel this good unless we are here. But we need to make the effort and participate in an intentional life. We need to search, we need to learn, we need to grow, and (most importantly) we need to connect to something far, far greater than ourselves. Infinitely greater. Then the joy is worth all the pain.
…and I haven’t even gotten to heaven yet.
Peace,
Greg