God, Gunther, grief, and other things that don't make sense

Gunther has no eyes, but he still has a fierce stare.

I seem to be in a stare off with my eyeless Jack Russell Terrier.

And if that sentence doesn’t make sense to you, well welcome to my world. It’s a world that doesn’t make sense. At all.

It’s a world where we spend more money on our dog’s food and medical care than many children receive. A world where friends bury their loved ones far too young, and yet this dog somehow magically survives every trial that comes his way. It’s world where I manage not to have a heart attack when TCU beats KU, yet still have heart palpitations when Gunther, our dog, points his face toward me in a standoff mode.

Even God can't explain KU's loss to TCU.

Gunther is 12. His eyes were removed a couple years ago due to glaucoma. I love him, fear him, and resent him all in one breath. In that aspect this little dog reminds me a lot of God.

I’ve often heard people ask the perplexing questions of God, such as why does pain and suffering occur? Why do the good die young and child molesters and meth dealers seem to live forever? Why are some children born into systemic poverty they can’t escape and others born into wealth they can’t explain? Why do the chemicals in some people’s brain function in a way that causes them to be classified as ill? And seriously why did TCU beat KU? Seriously.

The truth is no one has answers to these questions. And I am skeptical of anyone who claims they do. According to the book of Job, the questions of why are not ones that we are entitled to have the answers to.

What I have learned in my 30 years on this earth, is that our losses sometimes have the ability to make us stronger. And our defeats can teach us to appreciate our wins.

So if not for God’s, at least for Gunther’s sake, let’s pull off win today Jayhawks.

Gunther and I are counting on you.