Day 13 — Acceptance

Finding an answer without an answer

Yoel Susanto
henngeblog
3 min readDec 13, 2023

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Have you ever found yourself seeking justifications for undesirable situations? We all have our unique ways of coping with challenging times. Today, I want to share my personal journey toward finding contentment without an answer.

Silhouette of a frustrated man
Photo by taylor on Unsplash

Justification

In times of difficulty, it is common to search for justifications as a band-aid for the wound. Some might strive to uncover a positive perspective, while others try to view the situation as a valuable learning experience.

The Unexplainable

Yet, there are instances when even our best efforts fail to find an adequate explanation. Picture someone who dedicated years to nurturing a connection with their partner. Suddenly, the partner desires to part ways, leaving the individual confused. In search of solace, they grapple with justifications for the breakup. Was it the demands of their careers, differences in values, or perhaps a simple case of growing apart?

Each reasoning falls short upon closer inspection, leaving the person with a void. The career explanation seems weak; their values were once aligned, and the elusive nature of growing apart provides no closure. One ended up being frustrated due to the absence of an answer.

silhouette of man standing on rock formation near body of water during sunset
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Letting Go

After a lot of struggle trying to explain everything, I started exploring the idea of embracing not having an answer as an answer. I started thinking about life as this big story with unexpected twists and turns. We go through happy stuff and not-so-great stuff, and many times, things just happen.

Accepting that life may be all over the place and that not every problem needs fixing lifts a significant burden from one’s shoulders. You realize it’s okay not to be in charge all the time.

Some might even argue that the constant change and uncertainty in life are what makes it interesting and beautiful. Ultimately, I believe that learning to let go will enable one to live life with contentment.

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/balance-blur-boulder-close-up-355863/

Answer

Ironically, this post turned into yet another quest for answers. However, within this seeming contradiction, a beam of light emerges. Acknowledging that life often deviates from our plan and that there are moments with no answer reveals an inner sense of peace and strength.

I hope this message may help bring you a more peaceful and joyful Christmas.

Check out other 2023 HENNGE Advent Calendar articles here.

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