‘Don’t open ’til Doomsday, you might not like what you find inside.’
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘Don’t ask the question if you don’t want the answer’? It’s a bind isn’t it: you’re hoping for the answer you want, but know there’s a pretty good chance it might not be the answer you get. Receive the answer you want and it’s a huge relief. Get the answer you don’t and it’s going to hurt. A lot. So what to do? Choose not to ask and live in ignorance? Turn your back on the gnawing doubt? Try to convince yourself that if you actually had asked then you would have got the answer you hoped for? Or just say ‘fuck it’ and ask. Take the plunge and cop the hit if that’s what’s coming.
I’m pretty sure that everyone fortunate enough to live beyond their early childhood has, at some time or other, given at least a casual thought to the biggest question of all: ‘what is the meaning of life?’ If you’ve done a little idle musing, but haven’t really gone in to any significant depth, permit me a word of warning. Look, I’m no expert, but I have spent arguably too much time thinking about just this question, particularly since my crisis began. Before you start to seriously contemplate what is the grand-daddy of all questions, consider the quandary posed above.
Throughout your life there are many times when you decide you just have to ask. And when you receive the answer you don’t want your world likely falls apart. Asking your partner if they still love you. Asking the doctor what the diagnosis means. Asking the bank if they can cut you some slack. Considering how gut-wrenchingly awful these situations are, imagine the consequence if you don’t get the answer you want to the big one.
So perhaps before you put serious, critical, rational thought into the meaning of life, consider if you really want the answer. Perhaps in this case living in ignorance may be the better choice.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like ‘Regret and Remorse. Amends and Atonement. That’s Life, Right?’ ‘Take Away This Ball and Chain…’
Leave a Reply