Day 5 of 31 Questions without Answers

3/4/2019

"And now, I'm glad I didn't know
the way it all would end,
the way it all would go.
Our lives are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain,
But I've had to miss the dance."
-Garth Brooks

When your greatest pain is coupled with your greatest joy, how do you decide if the joy was worth the pain?
Would you do it all again if you knew the way it would end?
Questions that cannot be answered.
Today Luke Perry (Luke Perry!) died.
Today I read about the father who killed his wife and two young daughters.
Today I await the news of a very sick little girl our community has been praying for.
I think about the devastating pain that life can bring
And how it is often intertwined with the most joyful moments.

I think Garth Brooks is right:
"Our lives are better left to chance."

7 Comments

anita ferreri link

3/5/2019 03:13:27 am

While I am sure I want to leave life totally up to chance, there are so many things we cannot control and yet have to accept. Sometimes, like yesterday, they seemed to pile up for you. Hopefully, there will be a day or two with more good news and more blessings and less of the other kind of news.

Christine link

3/5/2019 03:21:48 am

Life is very much filled with surprises and unexpected sadness so I always say reach for the joy. Thank you for that reminder this morning.

Ona Feinberg link

3/5/2019 05:22:55 am

Such sad things right now. -- I had the same reaction to Luke Perry!
My husband said, "You know we're old when Luke Perry dies..."

But he was young. YOUNG!

:(

Paul D Fornale link

3/5/2019 06:25:41 am

The world has made many better plans for me than I could have contrived for myself. The question you pose here has deep meaning for me.

Mrs. Tice

3/5/2019 03:36:13 pm

I can’t even with Luke Perry! I feel as though a part of my adolescence is gone forever! He will always be “Dylan McKay” to me...

As someone who has had to wrap my brain around several losses in my life so far, I agree with your ponderings. Is chance better than knowing one’s path? I am a big believer in fate, but sometimes I feel like it just wipes me off my feet. The “dance” is always the best, both in the moment and as a memory.

Liz Forderhase

3/5/2019 04:30:38 pm

I, too, am mourning Luke Perry and the throwback to my teen years growing up with 90210. I love how beautifully you intertwined Garth Brooks' lyrics in this piece. Thank you for writing today.

@BethMooreSchool link

3/5/2019 05:21:57 pm

Thank you for this thoughtful post, Kathleen. I've been thinking a lot about this lately too. The song lyrics you chose are perfect.

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