42 is the answer

Me at 41 - 030910

I've been thinking about the book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.   In the book, a very intellectual species builds a super computer called Deep Thought to find, "... the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything."  The computer spent 7.5 million years to find the answer.

On a huge, momentous day, all the people gathered around Deep Thought for the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.

Lunkwill:  Do you...
Deep Thought: Have an answer for you?  Yes.  But your not going to like it.
Fook: Please tell us.  We must know!
Deep Thought:  Okay.  The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything is... 42.

Everyone was so disappointed with the answer because it made no sense.  Deep thought then told them they needed to figure out what the questions was that had the answer 42.  That would take another 10 million years.

I appreciate Douglas Adams cheeky writing about this.  We (the royal we) spend so much time looking for the answers that we forget to ask the right question.  It reminds me of when my parents always corrected me when asking for permission.  "Mom.  Can you take me to the store?"  My mom would always respond with, "Yes.  I can take you to the store, but it doesn't mean I will take you to the store."  I then rephrased the question as "Mom.  Would you please take me to the store?".

Now that I am 42, I am trying to figure out both the question and the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.  Actually, I am not trying that hard.  Maybe some parts of all this is better left to being a mystery.  Until I figure all this out, I am happy with being 42.