07/23/2026
Before today, I never realized how much we could learn from a three-year-old.
My granddaughter has entered the famous "Why?" stage. If you've ever been around a toddler, you know exactly what I mean. You answer one question, and before you've even finished, another "Why?" comes flying at you.
Today, her great-grandpa came by to pick up an old coffee pot. She asked, "Why?" I explained. Then she asked, "Why?" again. I answered that. Then another "Why?" And another. We went all the way back through family history until I explained that many years ago, her great-grandpa bought that original coffee pot because he and her great-grandma wanted to drink coffee together.
She paused, thought about it, smiled, and that was it. She had the answer she was looking for. It made sense to her.
It got me thinking...
Maybe we adults don't ask "why" nearly enough.
Maybe we should keep asking until we get real answers, not arguments, not excuses, but answers that actually make sense.
Why are so many data centers being built?
Why is valuable farmland disappearing?
Why are PFAS ("forever chemicals") being applied to land and why is it OK to poison our food supply with them?
Why are high risk s*x offenders allowed to live next to a schools in the county but not in the city?
Why are our taxes so high?
Why do people 62 and older still pay school taxes, and how are our taxes being used?
Whether we're asking our politicians, pastors, parents, teachers, public servants, or even our neighbors, maybe we shouldn't be afraid to respectfully keep asking, "Why?"
Not to be difficult, but to understand.
My little granddaughter reminded me that asking "why" isn't being stubborn. It's how we learn. It's how we uncover the story behind the decisions,and sometimes, it's how we discover what needs to change.
Imagine what could happen if adults had the same curiosity and determination as a three-year-old. Imagine if we kept asking "why" until we found answers that were honest, thoughtful, and made sense.
Sometimes, the smallest people teach us the biggest lessons.