Questions

“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco

Many of us like solving problems, pride ourselves in finding the “right” answers and are quick to share our insights with others. I say “us” because I enjoy doing all three. What I enjoy doing, even more, is asking questions. I ask questions of myself and others every day, whether it be through social media, direct conversation, or my inner monologue. Questions inspire critical thought and give focus to those of us interested in finding answers. Recently, I posed a question to a group of people that continues to give me reason to think…

Question:
What is the most powerful word in your vocabulary?

Answers:
Love
No
Action
(Son’s Name)
Genuine
Yes
Hope
Why
Think
Trust
Will
Resilience
Persistence
Truth
Faith

There is power in each and every word on that list. A few resonate with me more than others, but I can think of circumstances in which each word is the most powerful at that given time. No answer is more correct than any other and no answer is wrong. Generally speaking, questions are so much more powerful than answers. And it is the thinking inspired by the question that is most powerful of all.

Though the answer to the question above may change for us over time and as circumstances change, the most powerful word in my vocabulary at the moment is simply “with.” I sincerely appreciate those with whom I share this journey, those with whom I learn, lead, and laugh, and those with whom I share a passion for the question even more than the answer.

Let’s continue to ask questions and critically think about the world in which we live, as we consider potential answers and respect those who arrive at answers that may be different than our own.

• What’s the most powerful word in your vocabulary?
• What questions are you asking?
• What answers are you finding?