Son is the father of the man.

I remembered when I was still in college when our English Literature professor asked us about this question.

"What is the son is the father of the man?"

I found my professor quite strict for throwing such a question on the first day of our class. I was totally blank. One by one, randomly, our professor called us and she solicited answers from the trivial question she asked.

We were all nodding down, all heads looking at the floor for we never know the right answer. Some of my classmates were going to the comfort room, making an excuse just to escape to be called.

Luckily, the bell rang and I was saved. Then our professor told us to have research on the answer of the question. I don't have nothing in mind but to interpret it literally.

By the next day of our class, some of my classmates were absent. From 42 of us, we were around 23. It is quite scary because we didn't have the constant answer and we are not sure if our answer is the correct.

Mine is father-in-law, others are uncle and many answered children's children. All of us got the wrong answer.

Our professor can't hold her breath. She was quite angry because we never get the perfect answer.

"What is the son is the father of the man?" is the question that the Sphinx asked to Oedipus in exchange for an offer.

Oftentimes, we interpret words or phrases literally. Generally, in life there are things that are abstract and we need to dig down deeper to the meaning of each word, phrase or sentence.

The answer is man's stages in life.

When we are still young, we act and play childish things. We grow in ways little by little. We do things and discover them in our own childish world. As we grow, we encounter different approaches in life that may lead us through sorrows and pains, happiness and good tidings. This time we come to battle the most crucial part of our life, forming the possible things that we have learn from the environment. We react to what is necessary and immediate for us. We encounter lots of development in learning as we become in our teen and young adulthood years. Then, comes old adulthood whom we prepare for our retirement. In this stage, we spend time to reflect and be with the Lord, doing all the charitable and indulging in some religious activities. This is in preparation for our unexpected retirement as life just come to pass here on Earth.

Knowing the answer to the trivial question, made me realize that there are things in life that we don't have to blatantly interpret and see things in a simple scope. There are hidden meanings and deep interpretations that will lead us to understand the world of complexity to simplicity.