On the Topic of Now

"Everything happens for a reason, Zach."
Do you know how often I've heard this phrase?
"It all happens for a reason. You just have to live through it."
Every time something terrible happens, it's for a reason.

I recently was told this again, and started thinking about the phrase itself.
"Everything happens for a reason."
As if we have some sort of insight into the future.
This "reason" we are unwillingly hurtling towards every time something bad happens.
I didn't like it.

But then it hit me.
Right now, this...this mundane moment. This moment of me watching How It's Made and learning about bagels while writing. This moment was the "reason" at some point in the past.
Every moment in the present, when past meets future, is the "reason".
So everything that has ever happened since the dawn of time has happened not for a reason, but rather from a reason.
Which makes the statement "everything happens for a reason" actually have some logic to you.
It's fairly optimistic in the sense that "there will always be another reason. A reason in the future for you to live towards and this shitty moment. This endless struggle will lead to that reason and you need to get there."
So I understand what people are trying to say when they spout the always present cliche of "Everything happens for a reason.".

I think everything happens because it has to.
Because if everything didn't happen, then there would be nothing propelling us towards the reason in the future.
The great perhaps, if you will.
So keep on happening, folks.
It you stop happening, it will be another reason propelling someone else towards their own great reason.
Hmm.
Maybe some people have to suffer in order to help others move forward towards their final reason.
It's not fair.
It's cruel.
But it makes so much sense.

Godspeed,
Zach

On the Topic of Humor

When I was younger, I liked to make people laugh.

I still do.

Something about being able to connect with someone on that level where you can make them laugh makes me feel great.

Story time.

When I was in 5th grade, I had a friend. We'll call him Grodd for the sake of privacy.

Yes, Grodd is the name of a supervillain gorilla. I don't care.

ANYWAY, so here I am in 5th grade, one of those 'funny kids' who always had something witty to say and was quick with a joke.

The summer after it, I was hanging out with Grodd and he says this to me, "We can't be funny anymore. Being funny isn't cool anymore, we have to grow out of it and be cool."

I said something along the lines of "I don't care."

Because I didn't.

My sense of humor is the last thing I will ever give up.

We, as humans, need laughter.

I mean, go turn on the news. How many stories about how someone killed someone or others have died because of something accidental?

We need laughter to keep ourselves sane.

Keep laughin', sweethearts.

Zach