This is a question that most people grapple with from time to time and it has largely been on my mind this past week.
You see one of the best people I know — my Uncle Carl — had a very bad accident this week. While working on the wood lot with his son, his hand got caught in a log splitter. In the end the damage was so severe that his left hand had to be amputated.
Although no longer a young man, my uncle is very active and enjoys working with his hands. He is right handed but clearly the use of two hands was an important part of his former life and just as clearly that will have to change.
I was devastated when I heard the news and am still shaken by it — even more so when I think about how much worse the accident could have been. My whole family is upset, especially Uncle Carl’s wife and children, most notably my cousin John who was with him at the time.
As I worked through my worry and grief I kept asking myself that question: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?
I know people often say this when tragedy occurs, but this is not simple lip service — it is fact. My uncle is a good man.
He is a very...