Why processes?

Sometimes the thing and the thing behind the thing
are equally compelling.

Processes are weird.  I don't even know what they are or understand them.  Merriam-Webster defines process as "something going on".  But so what?  What the heck does that mean?!

We can parse this word a little further and think about what a 'thought process' might be.  It would be something going on in someone's head which makes slightly more sense.  I think therefore I am.  I think therefore I have thought processes or things in my head.  That makes some degree of sense.  But again, so what?

I have argued in the past that a process is 'anything that takes time'.  I'm not sure what this means but I still like the idea.

They say that systems are collections of processes which makes things even more confusing to me. 

Purpose and intention (the reasons behind processes) are far more interesting to me than processes.  But studying processes helps us understand why things might be.