Who knows why?

It so often seems that the unanswerable question is “why?” Why is this happening? Why is this happening to me?

Many people ask that question about events that take place in their lives as though they expect an answer. There may be an answer to that question somewhere, but I suspect we will never know it.

My choice is to believe that things happen in our lives and how we deal with those things is what makes them “bad” or “good.” In my way of looking at life and the world, there are just events that occur in our lives. These events are part of a tapestry that is woven while we are here.

Cancer Diagnosis

Five and one half years ago a cigar smoking, golfing friend of mine was diagnosed with colon cancer. He was about twenty years younger than I am. We sat and talked about it. He was young and healthy. He could beat this. He found a doctor, had surgery and then started a chemotherapy regimen.

With all this going on he still regularly beat me at golf. Doug was a natural athlete. He still played on a soccer team. Aside from this cancer thing, he was in good health.

My Turn

Then almost six months after his diagnosis, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Not many people outside my close circle of friends knows this. I got the news a little over five years ago.

Yes, I had the surgery. Yes, I had chemo. I even developed a staff infection from when they put my chemo port in. That alone put me back in the hospital for about a week with a long course after discharge of injecting myself with a strong antibiotic three times a day for weeks.

Last week I went for yet another CT scan. It is my last scheduled CT scan in my course of treatment. I am now considered a cancer survivor. This is the second time I have earned that designation. I previously had prostate cancer. I made it five years without any recurrence there. Now, I am five years cancer free from my colon cancer diagnosis.

Doug died!

Why Him and Not Me?

It might make one ask the question, “why?” I just don’t have an answer. I long ago gave up trying to answer the “why” question. This post alone has so many “why” situations that it could drive you nuts. Pick one. My answer is that it is all part of being a human being.

Things happen to us because we are alive. Human beings get cancer. Human beings die. It is what it is and there is no “why?”

So many good things happen to me on a regular basis that I sometimes feel uncomfortable about it. You see, the “why” question can go both ways. That is why I have quit asking “why?”

Perhaps all of this explains why I get up each day filled with joy and enthusiasm. I know there are good things in store for me each day and I focus on those. It is a recipe that works for me. Why? Don’t ask. I don’t know.