NUN'S ORCHID

QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS is one of the most amazing words, it seems to imply a QUESTION in the very word. When I was growing up, I don’t remember asking a lot of QUESTIONS of my parents or in school. I was so afraid of ‘looking stupid’ I just sat back and wondered on my own, becoming a shrinking violet. 

Somewhere along the way I ‘picked up’ this attitude. I had a very loving mother and my father was very non-communicative so there was virtually no exchange or conversation about the world around me. I don’t remember either of them really explaining anything to me, certainly to stimulate a QUESTION or a conversation.

I do remember when I was 12 years old my mother saying to me “Aren’t you glad you don’t need to ask any QUESTIONS (regarding the Church), all the answers are there?” Those were her exact words! So . . . I remember ‘shutting a door’ and I didn’t ask QUESTIONS about much of anything.

That experience seemed to have knocked CURIOSITY out of me. I can only imagine that those experiences kept me from even wondering about nature, how things work, how to repair something, how to get from here to there . . . etc. I feel very sad about that happening during my childhood.

However, since I have become an adult, a woman, a school teacher, a group leader and many experiences in life, and becoming divorced, I have become fascinated with a great many areas and interests in my life. I’m also very clear about things I’m not interested in and don’t even wonder about.

I find myself asking QUESTIONS all the time. Actually I recall exactly when it changed for me, to be more bold and ask . . . wonder, investigate what I don’t know or understand. That is the big one! I no longer feel afraid or stupid when I ask a QUESTION or need clarification about something! I must say it was a gradual process but with PRACTICE and DETERMINATION, I am very much at ease with QUESTIONING and speaking up.

When I moved to the VILLAGE, it took awhile to ‘know the ropes’ but now I am COMFORTABLE even with not knowing . . ., because I automatically ask for what I need to know. In a way it is a ‘game of Life’ and is becoming more and more enjoyable to ask, or seek and find out information I never knew about before.

When I meet and start talking with people I ask them QUESTIONS in order to know them better and hopefully put us both at ease. I feel this is of MAJOR importance if we want to communicate with others. Show an interest in the other person (not just sharing our own story) and their life!

There is also an aspect of LIFE that is MYSTERIOUS and we may never know the answers to. I love that part of life. It somehow lifts a burden to KNOW everything and spend some time just WONDERING and ACCEPTING what is.

Accept the things you can know

Seek the things you want to know

Ponder that which is a mystery.

BLESSINGS

I want to apologize to Dan Schmidt and anyone else I forgot to mention for their contribution to a photo I used on a blog. Thank you! JW