Writerly Wednesday Picture Prompt - The More We Know, The Less We Know

The More We Know,

The Less We Know.

            My twelve-year-old daughter and I stood staring at the graffiti on the wall.

            “What does that mean, Mom?”

            “Well, I think it’s referring to this novel series called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. A science fiction parody with this supercomputer that mathematically decides the answer is 42.”

            “What’s the question?”

            “What’s the answer for life and the universe.”

            My daughter snorted. “And the answer’s 42. That makes no sense.”

            I laughed. “Apparently, the computer malfunctions because of events that happen in the story. There’s no definitive answer.”

            She studied the wall and turned towards me. “Mom...that is the answer.”

            “What is?”

            “That there’s no definitive answer...at least for us. Why would we want to have the answer? We wouldn’t need to dream, or think, or learn. We’d lose the magic to life.”

            Sometimes we need to listen to our kids.

*** 

Flash fiction prompt provided by: 
 http://www.writerlycorner.com/writerly-prompts/writerly-wednesday-1272016

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