The years that ask questions and years that answer

“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” – Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Chanced upon this quote from Twitter today. Got me reflecting on what kind of year(s) I’m in.

My first reflex was that I’m in the years that ask questions right now. It makes sense, seeing how challenging it’s been. Every day for the past few years I’m asking, “When will things get better?” First the pandemic, then sleep deprivation from parenthood, then lockdowns and social distancing and all the crazy restrictions, then a whole slew of health ailments and stress, then economic recession finishing me off with financial difficulty like none I’ve experienced.

But I might be wrong.

Maybe these years are the years that answer. Because honestly, there’s no questions nor ambiguity around what I need to do or work towards. The answers couldn’t be clearer. It’s financial stability. It’s being a great dad, caring husband and attentive son. It’s enjoying building a family. The answers are ALL there. It’s just the resources I lack amidst constraining externalities.

In other words, my mission is clear. The mission is the answer. And spending years on that mission is my answer.

No questions about that.

No more wandering, not lost, nor adrift in life purpose. The years that ask questions are in fact the easy times when resources are bountiful and opportunities abundant, so that we can explore and experiment to discover what we’re meant to do in our next season.

It’s like:

Easy times, finding purpose.
Hard times, found purpose.

I should be glad.