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Still Questioning…

“Question everything. Every stripe, every star, every word spoken. Everything.” – Ernest Gaines

I remember as a child, being asked to stop talking in class, a few minutes later, when the teacher turned away from the board, she asked me, “Are you still talking?” I remember looking at her perplexed and then replied, “Yes, because you’re asking me a question, and I need to talk to answer you.” Hmmm…I was sent home with a note from school that day! 🙂

(Image:  ©2011 Indigene – Title: “Dream Sequence 11“)

We are told to question everything, yet we are sometimes ostracized as being too inquisitive, attention-wanting, time-suckers, with a rolling of eyes, etc. There were times in my life when I didn’t want to ask the question, but I needed to know why I’m asked to do things without reason or question. It’s my way of making sense of the world. I know that there are some questions that cannot be answered, but the search for the answer is a response to a life worth living.

Silence is great for meditation, but not as a response to life. Art making for me is answering a call/question from within me. I do this to explore every stripe, star and to make a mark as an answer or to question my spirit’s leanings.

If you are from the 50+ age crowd, you may have had to curb your questioning as a child, because it was better to be seen and not heard, back then! Can you imagine?

How do you respond to questions? As an adult are you embarrassed to ask questions? Do you fear the answers? Do you fear asking questions?

I love hearing from you.

In peace to you and yours.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Oh, I so disagree with kids having to be silent. All parents are proud when they have a clever child, but building knowledge and developing faculties of thinking is only done by endless question-answer interaction. I do not fear asking questions and I answer all the questions of my daughter till 17:00 hours because by then I need an hour of rest to prevent brain fatigue. 🙂 (I'm home schooling my daughter). Before bed-time the questions start again; these question are often more sensitive and spiritual. Kids need answers but therefore mums and dads need good night sleeps. 🙂
    Paula

    • Paula, thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I so disagree with that mindset, too! Thank goodness, my parents were supported of my questioning, although they did get flack from other parents and friends during that era. Get your rest, sounds like you'll need it for the long haul! 🙂

  3. Wonderful quotation & great image. I had teachers like that but luckily my parents taught me that "there is no such thing as a stupid question." I firmly believe that if you don't ask, how can you ever learn

    • Thanks for stopping by Stacy, and for your wonderful comments! I see we both think alike 🙂

  4. Wow, another great post. I think we often learn best when we question things… or when someone asks us the wise questions. Funny story of you in school!

    • Lol, thanks for stopping by Abby! I think we do learn best, when we question, because our questions get answered, instead of taking it at face value. Kids really do ask the best questions! 🙂

  5. Oh Indegene! I hated it when my teachers gave me my report card – Talkative! I am with you. I love that quote. Yes, question everything, be a critical thinker, that's what I tell my children. Speak up and never tolerate bad behavior, not from anyone, young and old alike. I hope you have a lovely week. Thank you for your kind comments. Your Dream Sequence No.11 is quite intriguing.

  6. Aaah, Indigene. Love your dragonflies and the pinkish hues. That looks like a lovely dream.

    I totally agree with the quote. Question everything. I was raised to be quiet and obey authority. It wasn't until grad school that I really learned to think critically. Now I try to teach my girls to view all sides of a subject. Just don't question me, hehehehe.

    You must be clairvoyant. This would have been perfect for this week's IF. Have a marvelous weekend!

    • Bella, your girls are going to be wonderful (they already are) because of their caring, creative and talented Mom (and of course, their Dad left an amazing legacy for them). 🙂 Your strength alone is unbelievable! 🙂

  7. Hey 🙂
    I'm 36 and I had that type of "seen and not heard" household. I think now, instead, busy-ness on parent's part is more to blame when children don't get to ask questions (or at least have them answered)
    but it build inquisitiveness and divergent thinking in children to encourage all those questions (and the many possible answers) which then feeds creativity!
    I love google. because when one of my children asks me a question (of the less existential variety) , and I don't know the answer
    I can say, I don't know, but let's google it!
    For myself, i dont have trouble asking questions, but struggle sometimes with the ones i just can't answer.

  8. Amanda, I always forget your age, you are so wise! Google is a good resource, but the fact that you are an attentive Mom and are willing to look for the answers will count for so much more than the answers, you can't always find! As long as they keep asking the questions, it's good…thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  10. Hi Sharon,

    Thanks so much for stopping by! I think it's wonderful to be quiet, as long as that's who you are, and not because someone's silenced you in the past. The world is made up of extroverts and introverts, I celebrate both! 🙂 🙂

  11. i love your dragonflies 🙂 and your colours are sublime! i was raised to be quiet and i still am 🙂 it is hard for me to stand up for myself but i am learning…

  12. Hey Val,

    Thank you! No worries, that's what friends are for…I've got your back! 🙂 always!

  13. Cheese and bread woman he heard you all the way over here. Una ain't got no reason for cryin'. He didn't give me everyting and I do mean everyting. I have no hair, and people sometimes still want to know when the baby is coming he he he he!! And it is said that I'm a little mentally retarded too. I'm special needs. I don't share it with everyone though. I agree with you I am not embarrassed to ask questions anymore especially the hard ones. If I don't know that answer I don't know it and will tell you so. I'm in such a different place in my life and it's being honest with people that I care about and love. No longer have a desire to fit in or to please as much. That's dying away as well. I want to please Him and not people. This was wonderful. Hugs to you.
    V

    • Nessa, you are crazy! lol! I can only imagine you as a child…:) It does take a while to realize what's really important. I always, think, if I was twenty and know what I know now….Wow, now that would be great! So since that can't happen, I live like I know…lol! Your warmth and sense of being is a blessing to all that know you. Thanks for stopping by love!!! Bread and cheese…huh…:)