Making Sense of the Unexpected

Throughout our lives we encounter many situations in which we don't have control of the outcome. We constantly deal with unpredictable situations, whether that be natural disasters, car accidents, or elections. Unpredictability is the only prediction we can soundly make. Through re-framing and interpreting these events we have created mechanisms to cope with the unexpected. 

We rarely have all the knowledge we need to fully understand why things happen. So we make up stories. We rationalize why things happen by filling in the gaps with plausible events. This is the power of interpretation. 

We all struggle to make sense of tragic situations. For Calvin, the death of baby raccoon caused him to think about reasons why this would happen to an animal so young and so new in the world. He fills in his knowledge gaps until he can make sense of it all. Death and illness are often issues we need to cope with. Why did that person of all people have to suffer. Why to someone that has already been through so much? Why someone so young?

No matter the scale or the seriousness of the situation we cope with,  interpretation is always necessary for reducing the stress we feel. Interpretation is something that we can share with others. It's any easy action to take to put our life in order, to help us control our own behavior in light of the uncontrollable. 

Life can seem unfair and sometimes even the most mundane events can seem unjust. It's important to take a step back, take a breath, and re-frame the situation so we can find clarity in the situation. Instead of running, screaming from the classroom, take a breath and think that without an education we cannot become the Spaceman Spiff that's awaiting us all.