Curious?

Growing up, for some reason or another, Dad did not like it when we answered him by saying, “I don’t know.” Saying that we did not know set something off inside of him, making him angry. As a result, I thought that if I did not know the “right” answer to his question, then there was something wrong with me. 

Since then, I’ve grown up and no longer fear acknowledging to myself or someone else that I don’t know. 

As a matter of fact, saying that I don’t know, is a motivating factor for me to find out what I don’t know, but would like to know.

Discovering, investigating, and uncovering answers to the things I wonder about,  actually requires taking a risk. Just by admitting to myself or someone else that I don’t know the answer I am acknowledging that I don’t know everything. And since I’m more inclined to interact with real live people as opposed to AI, I am exposing my lack of knowledge, but also revealing my inquisitiveness to those around me.  

Recently, I had the privilege and opportunity to partake and share in a community of educated and professional women who shared their knowledge and expertise from a variety of areas. Some of these areas included; reflexology, business coaching, communication strategies, nutritional therapy and aroma therapy. 

I had been invited to be a part of the group by sharing my knowledge of forgiveness. 

When I first got the invitation, I asked myself, do I fit into this group of women? If so, how do I fit in? What do I have in common with them?

I answered myself with, “I don’t know.” But my, “ I don’t know” put me on the path to finding out. 

My inquiry led me to asking questions of the host who then gave me brief bios of each of the women who would be speaking.

I read these, but still wondered, “What do I have in common with these ladies?” My answer remained, “I don’t know.” My “I don’t know” though, piqued my interest all the more and I anticipated what it would be like to find out.

I arrived at the event ready to have my questions answered and I was not disappointed. As each woman shared their stories, I realized what we all had in common. Most of these professionals had experienced a personal trial, set back or trauma in their lives that altered their lives. Yet, none of these women had allowed the unforeseen, uncomfortable or unimagined circumstances to crush their lives into defeatedness. 

This is what I had in common with this community of professional and educated women. 

If I’d not asked the questions, if I’d not said, “I don’t know,” I would never have pursued the answer. Neither would I have found the answer. 

Why Bother?

Why bother staying curious? Being curious and acknowledging that we don’t know everything can motivate us to take risks in order to find the answer.

P.S.  I wrote the story of my journey to forgiveness for those who, like me, know they need to change, but are not quite sure where to start. You can find A Heart’s Journey To Forgiveness at Redemption Press and Amazon.