What is even more amusing is how annoyed we adults have a tendency to become when asked this popular question incessantly. I've heard some pretty snappy retorts to those questions, uttered in frustration to hush a kid up. Been hushed up like that a few too many times to count, myself.
But what if the little ones have it right? {Imagine that.}
What if "Ask, Seek, Knock" really is a good idea? {Wait...didn't God say something about that?}
Not long ago I read a blog entry by a favorite blogger, Single Dad Laughing, in which he writes about using the why question as a tool to get to the very core of any issue one might be facing. He suggests writing down the issue, and then asking, "And why is that?", then answering that, followed by asking the question again, until the central problem comes into focus and a solution begins to emerge. He gave an example from his own journaling, and it was nothing short of brilliant.
It made me smile to think about how I will respond to the next child who asks me why.
I think I will grin and say, "To make you ask questions!"
And I will really mean it.
I'm good at snappy retorts to the why question when it involves the ridiculously obvious. "Why are you frying chicken?" is met with, "Because that's the best way to get the feathers off." But when the question is a good one, "Why do you believe in God?" or "Why do I have to clean my room?" or "Why is grass green?", I will take the time to respond.
ReplyDeleteWhy is a brilliant question.
I like the "why" question and am a bigger asker of it. It drives David mad. I have to know the "whys" of things, otherwise it doesn't fully compute and, in some cases, it won't compute at all without the answer.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe there's a such thing as a stupid question, and "why" is a very smart one. If we don't ask, we won't learn as much as we possibly can about whatever it is.
I know that you're a busy mom, and an artist with a camera lens, and a writer, and so much more that I don't know about – so I get why sometimes you may be too busy to post here – but your words are always so good, I want to encourage you – I always want to read more of you – every time I read you. I heart your words. And this idea of "why, why, why, why, why?" I heart this – I think I might need to steal it! Hope you don't mind :-)thank you for this. I'll be back to read more later. God bless and keep you and each and every one of yours Lisa.
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate the power of an encouraging word.
ReplyDelete