1 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of 2 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: hours of Dennis's lectures, courses in classic radio programs, and 3 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:39,319 Speaker 1: to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles, go to Dennisprager dot com. 4 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:47,959 Speaker 2: It's the Happiness now on the Dennis Prager Show. You 5 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 2: know what Geneine's has said to me, I should sing 6 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 2: along with it. Janine wants me to lose listeners. That way, 7 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: fewer people call on dot she has more rest I 8 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 2: get it now now. Actually, the public is divided on 9 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 2: my singing during these things, and it's reflected here because 10 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 2: Janine likes it and Sean can't stand it. So it's perfect. 11 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 2: Oh you think I should sing too? No, no kidding, 12 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 2: that's really something, all right, everybody, Welcome to the show. 13 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 2: Is Dennis Prager Show every week at this time pretty much, 14 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 2: no matter what happens on Earth. I talk to you 15 00:01:19,039 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 2: about happiness because of my deep, deep belief that happy 16 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 2: people make the world better, and that we owe it 17 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: to everybody in our lives to be as happy as 18 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 2: we can be, and because it is the one of 19 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,279 Speaker 2: the great achievements of life to be happy, because life 20 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: works against it. Okay, let's be honest. It is much 21 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 2: easier to be unhappy than happy. Being unhappy is the 22 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 2: easy way out. In fact, one of the great happiness 23 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 2: hours because and I know it from the emails that 24 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 2: I got, the reactions of people just literally stopping me 25 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 2: in the street, was when I talked about people who 26 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: don't want to get happy. A lot of unhappy people 27 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: don't want to be happy. That comes to a revelation 28 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: to me, it did. I guess I was naive because 29 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: to me, I don't like an unhappy minute. The thought 30 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:22,719 Speaker 2: of being unhappy generally makes me unhappy. It's compound unhappiness, 31 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 2: like compound interest. I'm unhappy, and I'm unhappy about being unhappy, 32 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: and I'm unhappy about being unhappy about being unhappy. So 33 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 2: it's actually trebled. Interous folks. It is an achievement, It 34 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: is an obligation, and that makes the world better. Can 35 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 2: you say that about anything else? Not much? Not much 36 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 2: in life is as important as happiness. That's why I 37 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 2: devote an hour this Week's why I devoted ten years 38 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: to writing my book. And it is a puzzle to me. 39 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 2: If you like this hour, why you did not read 40 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,959 Speaker 2: the book? It is just a puzzle. I Uh, it's 41 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: called happiness is a serious problem. I worked my tush 42 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: off to write that book because I wanted to say 43 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 2: stuff that could change lives and change my life, and 44 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 2: it changed my life writing it. I realized only then 45 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: how important happiness is. I always wanted to be happy, 46 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 2: but I never realized how important it is. I thought 47 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: it was a selfish pursuit. But it's actually better for everybody. 48 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 2: It's better for my friends, it's better for my family, 49 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 2: it's better for my coworkers. It's better for you, the listener. 50 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 2: You think if I were here, morose, you would listen. Huh, 51 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: I think about it, folks. I mean there are times, 52 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 2: you know, I really get sad over a topic, obviously, 53 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 2: but getting sad is not the same as being unhappy. 54 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 2: Of course, you guys, you have to get sad. It's 55 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 2: like healthy people sometimes get sick. It's part of life, 56 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 2: but they're still a healthy person. 57 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:47,119 Speaker 3: All right. 58 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: Now, I have a life changing subject for today's Happiness Hour. 59 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 2: Absolutely life changing. If you think in this way, it 60 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: can change almost everything in your attitude about life. Now 61 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: listen carefully. It is very common for people who are 62 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 2: who suffer a tragedy to say why me. They are 63 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: in a terrible car accident, they get a terrible disease, 64 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 2: they are hit financially terribly, some loved one is hurt 65 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: terribly or dies, and people. It is absolutely natural. I 66 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: understand this. It is entirely natural to say why me, 67 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 2: either to God or to yourself, or to or just 68 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 2: to people listening to you. Why me? Why did that 69 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: happen to me? Okay, now let me tell you something, 70 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 2: my friends. I would like to offer you an answer 71 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 2: by way of a question. Nope, not even by it. Well, yes, 72 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 2: here's the question. When things were good, did you ever 73 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 2: then say why me? If you didn't, then on purely 74 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 2: rational grounds, you must understand that your question doesn't have 75 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 2: much validity. If you didn't ask why me when you 76 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 2: were healthy, why do you ask why me when you 77 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 2: get sick? Why did you have some built in guaranteed 78 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: right to be healthy all of the years prior to 79 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 2: your sickness. I think people think that way. That's part 80 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: of the reason that people are doomed to being unhappy. 81 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,119 Speaker 2: I believe it is your obligation everyday things are going 82 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 2: well for you and loved ones to ask why me? 83 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 2: Then you have the right to ask why me when 84 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 2: things don't go well, But if you only ask it 85 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 2: when things are bad, then, folks, I mean, just on 86 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 2: purely rational grounds, it's an illegitimate question. Does this make 87 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 2: sense to you? One eight prager seven seven six. If 88 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 2: you adopt this attitude, life changes one eight p r 89 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 2: A g E R seven seven six. You see, folks, 90 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 2: let me tell you something. A lot of the why 91 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 2: me folks do it over everything, everything, every day. They 92 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 2: think that they are a victim of bad circumstances. And 93 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 2: do you know what, folks, The vast majority of people can, 94 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 2: in fact go through life saying why me? Oh my god, 95 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:03,600 Speaker 2: why this? Why that? Why me? Everybody has that option 96 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 2: because nobody has a tragedy free life, no one, either 97 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 2: to them or their loved ones. And being to loved 98 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: ones is the same as to you. It's not the 99 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 2: same as it was to them, but it's still a 100 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: tragedy for you. But I tell you, folks, this is 101 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: a very powerful answer to the question that you may 102 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 2: have in your own life why me? And then you 103 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 2: have to ask yourself, did I ask that question before 104 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: that which happened to me which now causes me to say, 105 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 2: why me? Now I want to tell you that in 106 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 2: my book and on this program, I say repeatedly that 107 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 2: there is in fact a secret to happiness, and that 108 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 2: is gratitude. And gratitude means that one expres Let's put 109 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: it this way. One expression of gratitude is to say, 110 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 2: when things are normal, why me? Why did I get 111 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: up today and another guy had a heart attack? Why 112 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: are my children healthy and another child is not? I mean, 113 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 2: the wiser, endless, Why did I get a chance to 114 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 2: go on this vacation and the vast majority of humanity 115 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 2: never get a chance to travel one hundred miles from 116 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 2: where they're born? I mean, did any of you ever 117 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 2: go to Europe or Asia, or Latin America or the 118 00:08:34,680 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 2: Caribbean and then say, why me? How many people on 119 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: Earth get a chance to travel as much as I 120 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:47,999 Speaker 2: just did. I doubt it. I doubt it, but it's 121 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 2: a perfectly legitimate question. I think every American should ask, 122 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 2: why me? Why am I so darn lucky to live 123 00:08:55,320 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 2: in such a free, opportunity filled country when the world 124 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 2: is filled with so much evil and decay. I read 125 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 2: about North Korea, and I think, why me? Was there 126 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 2: some divine plan that I would not be born in 127 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 2: the northern half of the Korean peninsula. Why me? Now, 128 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 2: the truth is they have a right because their whole 129 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 2: life is suffering. They do ever right in North Korea 130 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: to say why me? But there is an answer why you. 131 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,959 Speaker 2: I'll tell you why because humanity stinks as a general rule, 132 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 2: and they couldn't care less about a communist regime. The 133 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 2: world is animated by fighting global warming, not genocide. That's 134 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,079 Speaker 2: why you. If the world cared as much about evil 135 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,679 Speaker 2: as it did about global warming, hey, if the New 136 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: York Times were as many editorials about North Korean starvation 137 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 2: as it did about the Kyoto protocols, hey, maybe something 138 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 2: would happen. Man, Do I have an answer for North 139 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 2: Koreans on yu? Because the UN and the world it 140 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 2: basically couldn't care less about your suffering. That's why you. 141 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 2: But let's put that aside. Try not to bring in 142 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 2: anything political into the air unhappiness. Sorry, every South Korean 143 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 2: should say why me? Oh boy? Should they be saying 144 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: why me? Why am I so lucky to be on 145 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 2: the southern half of this peninsula not on the northern half. 146 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 2: If you analyze your life, the vast majority of you 147 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 2: should be asking why me in terms of the good 148 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 2: fortune that you've been blessed with in so many arenas. 149 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 2: So that's why, frankly, I think there is an answer. 150 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 2: By and large, there are some people for whom it 151 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 2: is a legitimate question. By the way, I said that, 152 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: including North Koreans and some people in this country, absolutely 153 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 2: for whom why me in terms of suffering is a 154 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 2: legitimate question. We'll be back in a moment. One eighth 155 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: Praguer seven seven six The Happiness Hour on the Dennis 156 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 2: Prager Show. 157 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 158 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Pragger's Timeless Wisdom. 159 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 2: Okay, everybody, this is Dennis Pragger and this is the 160 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 2: Happiness Hour. Each week, the subject is happiness for this hour. 161 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 2: I consider it vital. The older I get, the more 162 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: I admire people who are happy, because it's an achievement. 163 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 2: It's so easy to be unhappy. The theme today is 164 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 2: the question why me, which people naturally ask when terrible 165 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 2: things happen in their lives. Some people ask it, in fact, 166 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 2: when even not terrible, just normally bad things happen in 167 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 2: their lives. But my question to you is very simple. 168 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: A very rational one. If you didn't say it when 169 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 2: things were good, what right do you have to ask 170 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 2: the question when things are bad? To me, it's pretty elementary. 171 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 2: All right, let's get some of your calls here in 172 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 2: Denver on k and us. It's Ken Kendall. Thank you 173 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 2: for calling. 174 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 4: Hi, Dennis, You're a phenomenal teacher. I was after about 175 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 4: five miscarriages. I had a son and he was special needs. 176 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 4: And during that time of going through all the teaching 177 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 4: that you need to learn to deal with a special 178 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 4: needs child, I was always asking why me? 179 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 3: Why me? 180 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 4: Why me? Then he went into a critical illness with 181 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 4: his health, and then five years ago he died at 182 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 4: the age of seven. And what took me through the 183 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 4: process of going from the you know, why was this 184 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 4: dumped on me? I changed my thinking to why was 185 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 4: I chosen to have gone through this trial? And I 186 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 4: really believe that God did choose me. And I think 187 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 4: that there's eternal purposes that come into play when you 188 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:08,080 Speaker 4: have the trials in your life. And what I found 189 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 4: is when the pain had a purpose and especial especially 190 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 4: an eternal purpose, it made the pain bearable. And the 191 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 4: other thing that I did I was big on comparing 192 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 4: my life to other people, and I would compare it 193 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 4: to other people that had lost even more than I did. 194 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 4: There was a family that had lost three children in 195 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 4: a fire, plus they'd lost the baby to SIDS. There 196 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 4: was people that always had more tragedy than I did. 197 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 4: And at the same time, right before he died, three 198 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 4: weeks before he died, I was blessed with a brand 199 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 4: new baby, and I realized God still continues to bless me, 200 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 4: even though he has chosen, for whatever reason, to have 201 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:49,079 Speaker 4: brought this trial into my life. And I just feel 202 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 4: like I have an obligation with compassion to teach others 203 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 4: that there's a purpose behind the pain. And we live 204 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 4: in a world where we're never not going to have tragedy, 205 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 4: but the why me actually goes against the whole purpose 206 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 4: and the pain. 207 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 2: Well, you're you are very inspiring. I need you to 208 00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 2: know that, and I'm very very delighted that you called. 209 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 2: It was very powerful call. You know. She raises so 210 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: many points here, and I just very briefly want to 211 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: react to two of them. One is which is another subject, 212 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 2: and a very important one is that if you believe 213 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 2: that there is purpose to your suffering, it is totally 214 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 2: different from if you think it's pointless. That is why 215 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: I have said, and I say this not as a 216 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 2: challenge at all. I say it respectfully and sympathetically. I 217 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 2: just can't imagine why a person without a belief in 218 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 2: God can be under the same circumstances as happy as 219 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 2: someone who does have a belief in God, since without 220 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 2: God so much is purposeless. In fact, in the final analysis, 221 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 2: everything is purposeless. Life is just a random chaotic event, 222 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 2: for good or bad. And the other one is where 223 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 2: she said comparing herself to others. I have a chapter 224 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 2: on that in my book, Happiness as a Serious Problem, 225 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 2: and it is one of my most fun chapters because 226 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 2: I give a great example there about how people can 227 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 2: pare themselves to others and how it's such a poor idea. 228 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 2: All righty, but I'm not I don't want to get sidetracked. 229 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 2: So I'm going to take some more calls here and 230 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 2: let us go to Jerry in Littleton, Colorado. Jerry Dennis 231 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 2: Prager High. 232 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 5: Hi, Dennis, first time caller. So I'm a little nervous. 233 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 2: Oh, you don't sound so much time to you. 234 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 5: When I was in high school, I had three very 235 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 5: close friends that died in one year. I was supposed 236 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 5: to go one night with a couple of them, and 237 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 5: I was not able to go because I was working. 238 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 5: And next morning woke up and found out that they 239 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 5: were in a car accident, a fatal car accident. So 240 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 5: I said, well, you know, why me, Why am I 241 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 5: being spared? 242 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 2: That's right, that's a very fair question, you know. 243 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 5: And later on I found out that, you know, I 244 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 5: have a lot of things going for me, and I 245 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 5: feel that I was spared mainly because number one, that 246 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 5: I could help those families that had lost some good 247 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 5: friends of mine and there, you know, their own kids. 248 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 5: So it's you know, it still hurts a little bit, 249 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 5: but yeah, but. 250 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 2: You learned to ask it in the right way very 251 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: early in life. 252 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 5: Absolutely. 253 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you very much. Another powerful call. I think 254 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 2: it's very interesting how somedays some states come in and 255 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 2: they dominate the calls so on the question of why 256 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 2: me and suffering? It seems Colorado. There's another one from Colorado. 257 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 2: Amy also on K and US. Hello Amy, Dennis Prager. 258 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 6: Hi Dennis, thanks for your shows. We really appreciate him. 259 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 6: I am responding to the other woman who called from 260 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 6: actually Colorado, and she was saying that she had a 261 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 6: special needs child and that she was chosen by God 262 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 6: to take care of this child. And I have a 263 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 6: special needs child as well, and I have more of 264 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 6: a question for you than I don't believe that God 265 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 6: has chosen me to take care of David, because I 266 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 6: don't believe that He chose me to have a beautiful life. 267 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 6: I have a wonderful life, and I thank Him every 268 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 6: day because I am so lucky. And I don't think 269 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 6: of it as why me. I think of it David 270 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 6: as a gift to me from God, and that I 271 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 6: ask him for the fortitude and the strength and the 272 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 6: courage to do what I can for him and to 273 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 6: help him. And because if you think that it was 274 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:00,119 Speaker 6: imposed on you, then you get into the question of 275 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 6: why would God give you a child that is special 276 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 6: needs or And so I take it all as I'm 277 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:11,479 Speaker 6: the luckiest person in the world, and He's given me gifts, 278 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 6: He's given us our family gifts that people would think 279 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 6: it took him till he was eleven years old to 280 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 6: ride bike. And I wanted to stop people in this 281 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 6: on the street and say, do you know that my 282 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 6: son just learned how to ride a bike. It was 283 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 6: so exciting. But we take so many things for granted, 284 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 6: and I think that I'm grateful that I've been shown. 285 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 6: You know, the purer things in life are the things 286 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 6: that really do make you happy. But I don't think 287 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:41,720 Speaker 6: God chose me to take care of David, but rather 288 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 6: that it happened, and I'm choosing God to help me 289 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 6: create the best life I can for both of us. 290 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I'm not taking sides between the two 291 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 2: of you, because I think they're both beautiful reactions. I 292 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,120 Speaker 2: can't prove either one correct. You're both right. 293 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 6: And when I'm not being critical of that other mother, 294 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 6: I'm not being critical of her. I just because I 295 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,680 Speaker 6: think we're both coming at it sort of at the. 296 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 2: Same you know, Well, no, it's not the same, and 297 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 2: that's the beauty of it. It's it's and in fact, 298 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 2: the two of you encapsulate the two most powerful theologies 299 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 2: that I know of. One is God chose me to 300 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 2: go through the following difficulty or challenge or what or experience, 301 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,199 Speaker 2: whatever you want to call it. And the other is 302 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 2: yours that I have chosen God to be with me 303 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 2: in what I am doing. Yours, by the way, is 304 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 2: reflected brilliantly in Harold Kushner's major book, When Bad Things 305 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 2: Happen to good People, which had a deep impact on me, 306 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 2: And that is what he says, God bless you. Back 307 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 2: in a moment. I'm Dennis Prager. 308 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 309 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's timeless Wisdom. 310 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 2: All right, everybody, this is Dennis Praguer. Thank you for 311 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 2: being with me. This is the Happiness Hour. And it 312 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 2: is a big subject that I've chosen, the question why me, 313 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 2: which people ask wh hits them? And it's totally understandable 314 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 2: and totally natural to ask that I am proposing though 315 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 2: that at least intellectually, let's now take it out of 316 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 2: the realm of pain and emotion. Intellectually, you don't have 317 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 2: the right to ask the question. If you didn't ask 318 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 2: the question why me when things were good for you, 319 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 2: we're no more deserving of all the blessings of life 320 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 2: than we are of all the curses of life. Seems 321 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 2: to me that that's a fair analogy. No, even whether 322 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 2: you believe in God or not. To Louisville, Kentucky, w 323 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 2: GTK and Tim, Hello Tim, Dennis Prager. 324 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 7: My hero, Dennis Prager, You're very kind. 325 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 2: Thank you. 326 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 7: I tell you this, this hour gets me through the week. 327 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 7: I can't say that it's a tragedy. What I can 328 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 7: say is this is this is what I'm amazed by. 329 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 7: And I've come to you for my answer. We're going 330 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 7: through My wife and I were going through this financial difficulty. 331 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 7: And you know that that's the hardest thing that can 332 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 7: happen to a couple. 333 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 2: Well, it's not the hardest, but it's very very hard. 334 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 2: It's up there tied with others going definitely. 335 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 7: Well, my wife the other night, just you know, pretty 336 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 7: much in tears, is like, why us people our age 337 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 7: seem so much better off when we keep getting knocked 338 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 7: down trying to sell our house. You know that's a 339 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 7: whole nother story. But everything just seems to keep beating 340 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 7: us down financially and going forward. And I told her, 341 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 7: whenever you feel like that, could you look we have 342 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 7: a seventeen month old daughter. Could you look at our 343 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 7: daughter and say why us when you see her? Why 344 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 7: were we given this perfect child? When there are so 345 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 7: many poor people who have six children or have. 346 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: Or who would give all of their money to have a. 347 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 7: Child exactly exactly. It just amazes me how negativity is 348 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:27,719 Speaker 7: so effortless for people. 349 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 2: But that's what I always say. It's much easier. It's 350 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 2: much easier to be. 351 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 7: Unhappy, and being positive is almost impossible for some people. 352 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 7: If changing that just to if I can just change 353 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 7: that in one person and just my wife, that would 354 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 7: be amazing. But more people need that. 355 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 2: She listened to this hour, No, she'd this. 356 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 7: Is naptime for baby, and so she takes it as 357 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 7: a nap time too. But I've been looking forward on 358 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 7: the internet to pull up some of my favorite shows. 359 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 7: And she knows about you from the book, and we 360 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 7: didn't get a chance to come see. 361 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 2: Well I would. I am sorry about that. I had 362 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,960 Speaker 2: a great turnout that for the GT Case. Oh yeah, 363 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 2: I heard it together. It was a great time listen 364 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 2: the uh you might want to play for her this 365 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 2: hour because the show is repeated over and over on 366 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 2: the internet, so there's no cost to you. And I 367 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 2: mean you could buy it, but giving your financial state, 368 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 2: I don't want to even make an offer to sell 369 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 2: you anything, but you can for the next twenty four hours. 370 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 2: I hear this great, but I would like her to 371 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 2: hear it about the y me question, right, and sometimes 372 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 2: it's more powerful from a stranger than from a husband, exactly. 373 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 7: And it's so easy to say, like you said, it's 374 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,440 Speaker 7: so easy for everyone to point. It sounds like when 375 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 7: somebody's saying why me, they want to point all around 376 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 7: them for what is actually going on, but it's inside themselves. 377 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, oh boy, you're very wise, you really are. Thank you, sir, 378 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. Now he is wise. That's exactly right. Look, 379 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 2: you know a lot of couples have gone through financial 380 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 2: difficulties and sometimes it's bonded them. It's not necessarily devastating. 381 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 2: It's necessarily painful, but it isn't necessarily devastating. All right, 382 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 2: let's say let's see more here, Okay, Marty and Port Angelus, 383 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 2: Washington on KKOL. Hello Marty, Dennis Prager, Hello. 384 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 8: Dennis, thank you again for such a wonderful happiness hour. 385 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:42,919 Speaker 2: Thank you. 386 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 8: When I was healthy, I did tell I never said 387 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 8: why me, but I did tell people how lucky I was. 388 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 8: I had a husband, I had four children, We had 389 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 8: a good life. And then I took a terrible fall 390 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 8: about seven or eight years ago that totally handicapped me 391 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 8: and for a few months, I did go through why mee, 392 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 8: and then I began to think in terms of how 393 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 8: lucky I am again. I still have my wonderful husband 394 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 8: who now does such such neat things as calling me 395 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 8: yesterday from work to make sure I took my paint out. 396 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 2: There you go. I want to comment on this when 397 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 2: we return. All right, everybody, welcome back the Dennis Praeger Show. 398 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 2: Here the last the call on this the Happiness hour 399 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 2: of the show every Friday at this time on Happiness 400 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 2: and the Marty. That was a powerful call. Again, I 401 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 2: tell you this woman who is capable of being grateful 402 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 2: in the midst of the suffering that she has. I 403 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 2: have devoted this hour to offering you a very important 404 00:25:55,440 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 2: rational response to the question why me when tragedy hits you? 405 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 2: And that is, if you didn't ask why me when 406 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 2: blessings hit you, then at least rationally speaking, not emotionally speaking, 407 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 2: there's no right to ask it. Now. I want you 408 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 2: to walk through life feeling you are as you are, 409 00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:25,199 Speaker 2: as undeserving of your blessings as you are undeserving of 410 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 2: your sufferings. That's what I'm saying, and that immensely increases 411 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 2: your gratitude in life. Alrighty, and let's go to David 412 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 2: and San Bernardino, California. David Dennis Prager. Hi, Hi Dennis. 413 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 9: Sorry, I'm a little nervous. First time I've ever called 414 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 9: a radio show. 415 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 2: I'm honored that I'm the first. Thanks. 416 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 9: I respect you very much. 417 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 2: Thank you. 418 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 9: I just want to make a quick point. Me and 419 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 9: my wife, we're both Christians, and we've been going through 420 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 9: a financial, really financial stressful time right now, and it's 421 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 9: amazing because spiritually we've grown so much going through it. 422 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 9: We've prayed a lot more, we've gotten into the word, 423 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 9: and we've asked why. But as a Christian, I believe 424 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 9: that we really don't deserve anything. Anything we have is 425 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 9: a blessing from the Lord, and it's it's just I 426 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 9: just want to say, it's been amazing because spiritually we 427 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 9: have grown through the tough time that we've gone through. 428 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,880 Speaker 9: And it's just just the point I wanted to make. 429 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,399 Speaker 2: Well, it's a very powerful point. Thank you, and I 430 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 2: want to I hope that I wish that the wife 431 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 2: of the of the husband in Louisville could hear you 432 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 2: say that. See it's a you have to see this 433 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 2: is the an even larger question is relevant here or 434 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 2: a larger issue, and that is that by and large, 435 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 2: happiness is a decision. We don't think that way. People 436 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 2: think that happiness is a feeling that comes over you 437 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 2: that you don't have control of. Like the weather. The 438 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 2: weather is either either sunny or cloudy or whatever, but 439 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 2: you don't have any power over it. And that's how 440 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 2: people think about happiness or unhappiness. I have no power 441 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 2: over it. It happens to me, but it doesn't. It 442 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 2: does in a way, but you also have a choice. Now, 443 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: not all the time. There are biochemical factors. There is 444 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 2: the instant, instant reaction to terrible tragedy and so on. 445 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 2: But folks, if a blessed life, health, wealth, opportunity, and 446 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 2: all the good things that we associate with being happy, 447 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 2: did that made people happy, then the folks in Holly 448 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 2: would be the happiest people in the world. But read 449 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:03,480 Speaker 2: their memoirs. So I consider Hollywood memoirs to be very valuable. 450 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 2: I wrote that in a book too. Alrighty and Carlos 451 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 2: and Santa Monica, California on KRLA, Carlos, Dennis Praeger, thank 452 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 2: you for calling. 453 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 3: It's been a while since I've listened to you. It's 454 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 3: I don't know have to is a coincidence. But I 455 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,239 Speaker 3: asked the same question about in the same question I 456 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 3: had asked myself in October, and I had what was 457 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 3: supposed to be a simple appanix and there being a 458 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 3: ruptured in test and of colon in testine, and it 459 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 3: basically poisoned my stomach. And it had not gone that 460 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 3: day into hospital, I wouldn't be around. And I thank 461 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 3: the Lord for that that I am. It's still alive. 462 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 3: This is one of the things I had to make 463 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 3: time shut some little notes down, because when you're on 464 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 3: the radio sometimes you forget. So what I did was 465 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 3: I put down basically when when when When we're good, 466 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 3: we forget our Lord. When we're bad, we pray. In 467 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 3: life we ignore when we're good, but when we're bad, 468 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 3: we look at all the healthy things we can do 469 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 3: to make our lives better and then we ignore it again. 470 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 3: When it comes down to our spouses, time, we time. 471 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 3: We most of the most part, we take it for granted, 472 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 3: but when we're bad, they're the ones that are going 473 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 3: to be holding a bed pan. And when it comes 474 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 3: down to our families and friends, we usually don't give 475 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 3: them a call both they're there for support when we're 476 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 3: in bed or were in need. And that's basically a 477 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 3: long time, because this really is I asked the same 478 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,640 Speaker 3: question a week after I was I'm not home good. 479 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 3: I was weeping in the same why me, that's right. 480 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 2: That's right. God bless you, and welcome back to the program. 481 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 2: Let's see over to uh Michelle and Redondo Beach, California, 482 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 2: and the Californians are coming in now. Hi, Hi, Michelle, Hi. 483 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 10: I wanted to say that, Well, first of all, my 484 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,480 Speaker 10: ex husband has this habit of sitting in traffic in 485 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 10: southern California and saying, why me? What did I do 486 00:30:58,560 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 10: to deserve this? 487 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 2: Wait a minute, why did Why did he do to deserve. 488 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 3: The traffices for him to be sitting. 489 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 2: In that is pretty funny being that that is the 490 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 2: funniest call I ever received on a subject of such 491 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: seriousness a human being would ask why me in traffic? 492 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 2: It was a very good why me? And everybody else 493 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 2: in traffic? I mean, it's not you see, I would 494 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 2: love to be with him when he asked it, and 495 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 2: I said, well, is the guy in front of you 496 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 2: not permitted to ask the same question. 497 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 10: Well, I think that's why that was what my answer 498 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 10: was at the time. He's my ex husband, but. 499 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 2: Well, most people tend not to describe exce's in flattery ways. 500 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 2: But if indeed you're accurate about him, I understand why 501 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 2: the marriage didn't flourish. 502 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 10: But I also have a problem with the opposite kind 503 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 10: of a statement, when somebody sees somebody who's got some 504 00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 10: misfortune and they say they're for the grace of God. 505 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 10: Go I I hate that phrase just as much as 506 00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 10: why me, because I think that that's really arrogant of 507 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 10: somebody to think that God made an unfortunate person unfortunate. 508 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:12,000 Speaker 2: You know, Ah, you have hit my favorite theological question, 509 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:15,080 Speaker 2: and I am no closer to an answer today than 510 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,719 Speaker 2: when I first posted on radio twenty years ago, and 511 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 2: that that is does God is God the source of 512 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 2: our suffering? And I am absolutely in the middle because 513 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 2: I think, and that's what I said to the two 514 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 2: callers earlier, the two women calling from Colorado, there is 515 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 2: a powerful argument in both directions. I want to deal 516 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:44,720 Speaker 2: with that when we come back, Michelle, because it's it's 517 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 2: it's very powerful. We'll be back in a moment. One 518 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 2: eighth Praguer seven seven six. 519 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 1: This episode of Timeless Wisdom will continue right after this. 520 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 1: Now back to more of Dennis Prager's Timeless Wisdom. 521 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 2: Or Dennis Prager here on. This is the final segment 522 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 2: of the Happiness Hour. But don't go away because there's more, 523 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 2: of course of the Dennis Praguer Show. But I wanted 524 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 2: to comment on that last issue. I'm talking about the 525 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:19,480 Speaker 2: question of y me. And this isn't only for religious 526 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 2: people at all. This absolutely as applicable to secular person 527 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 2: who asks why me when tragedy hits, but they have 528 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 2: not asked why me when blessings hit? You have to 529 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 2: ask it both times in order to ask it when 530 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 2: tragedy hits. But the last issue, Michelle raises a wonderful call, Michelle, 531 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 2: is it is? I don't know this answer. I alternate 532 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 2: and I have for twenty years. One day, Alan, let's 533 00:33:51,240 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 2: do that. I want to do that for an hour once. 534 00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 2: Which is the more compelling view that God wills the 535 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 2: bad things that happen to us, or that God does 536 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:11,559 Speaker 2: not will bad things to happen to us, but that 537 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 2: we can reach out to God to be with us 538 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:22,239 Speaker 2: when those things happen. Man, I don't know. I don't know, 539 00:34:22,319 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 2: and there are people like Michelle wisaid, that's terrible thing, 540 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 2: terrible thing to say that God would will a bad 541 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 2: thing to happen to somebody. But I don't know. We 542 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:37,040 Speaker 2: don't know God's ways. His ways are not our ways. 543 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 2: I don't know. It's a fascinating question that I don't 544 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:42,880 Speaker 2: have an answer to. I think both are perfectly legitimate 545 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 2: traditional theologies. I have an apology here to Bruce in Upland, California, 546 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 2: who holds the record this hour, holding on forty one 547 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:59,720 Speaker 2: minutes and excuse me, forty three minutes and fifty three seconds. 548 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:01,680 Speaker 2: But I'm not going to get a chance to take 549 00:35:01,680 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 2: any more calls now because I want to sum up 550 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 2: this hour, So c j K, Bruce, Robert, the other lines' 551 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:11,919 Speaker 2: names I don't see. Forgive me, but I tell you 552 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,040 Speaker 2: if I know for a fact that if you adopt 553 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 2: the attitude that I have expressed this hour, or you 554 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,359 Speaker 2: will be a much happier human being. And that is 555 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:26,320 Speaker 2: while things are relatively good in your life health wise 556 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:32,000 Speaker 2: and health and loved ones, and you're not financially in 557 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 2: a horrible position or whatever other pain that you ask 558 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: every day Why me? Why am I so lucky? It 559 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 2: is that is the question to be asked in order 560 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,399 Speaker 2: to give anybody permission to ask why me when bad 561 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:58,680 Speaker 2: things happen? It just makes perfect sense. Gratitude is the 562 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 2: source of happiness. It is the secret to happiness. And 563 00:36:02,680 --> 00:36:06,359 Speaker 2: if you walk around expecting nothing, and by golly, that's 564 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 2: what I do. And by the way, I learned that 565 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:12,440 Speaker 2: from Buddhism. I believe that there are things to be 566 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 2: learned from religions that are not our own. Buddhism taught 567 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 2: me to expect nothing. I adopted that idea, and I 568 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 2: walk around pinching myself about how lucky I am. Don't 569 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 2: go away. This is the Dennis Prager Show. 570 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:34,640 Speaker 1: This has been timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Visit Dennispraguer 571 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,240 Speaker 1: dot com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses 572 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 1: in classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles.