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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Ask Me ALL Questions and I'll Tell You No Lies

I find it amusing that our elders will ask anything they want directly to your face. It doesn't matter how embarrassing it may be, how personal, how insulting, how tactless it may be. They will spit it out AND expect you to answer!

I used to be offended by certain questions and then I realized an important Life Lesson.

If you want to know something...you ask.

One should never be too proud, too full of themselves, to ask a question. You can't hesitate because you may appear foolish or that you lack knowledge. You DO lack knowledge until you get the answer to the question! You are afraid to appear ignorant. Guess what? You are in the absolute meaning of the word ignorant. Good Old Merriam-Webster gives a short and sweet definition:

1
a :  destitute of knowledge or education <an ignorant society>; also :  lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified <parents ignorant of modern mathematics>

b :  resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence <ignorant errors>
 
2
 
By that definition, we are all ignorant of something as we are not omniscient. We weren't made to be. Until you ASK, you are definitely ignorant of the topic and have a lack of knowledge or education of something or someone. Ignorant comes from the word ignore which put simply means, you refuse to do anything about what you hear or see and/or do nothing about or in response to it. I refuse to ignore my ignorance.
 
If you want to know something....you ask about it. There.
 
Ask me anything. I will answer in one way or another, but I will answer. I won't think less of you. In fact, I applaud that you approached me to find out what I might know. It takes guts with many people to overcome the hesitation and, even, fear, to do so. It isn't that I'm scary (Well, OK. I can be at times) or will degrade another person. I welcome it. I hope others feel the same when I approach them. Perhaps, this is why everywhere I go in the World over the years, I've been asked if I'm a teacher. I have never been as a career. I do hope that I have been able to 'teach' in the traditional sense of the word and able to impart whatever I knew to others after I'm gone.
 
I like to take it one step more and say if I don't know the answer, I try to find out. It's for the person that asked now AND for myself. It is said that knowledge is power, right?  (It's also said that "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". Therefore, use your knowledge for Good.)
 
Really. What is the worst thing that can happen? I began to think of everything in that term. Will I die from an answer of "No"? Will my feelings be hurt? Big deal. I'm a big girl and I can take it. Will someone refuse to answer? I'll look to someone else to ask, then. Will they think me silly? Again, that won't kill me.
 
Chances are, there are others in the room who are asking the same questions in their heads but are afraid to raise their hands, literally and figuratively. Someone has to do it or we all remain ignorant.
 
Since today's post is brought to you by the letter "A", the challenge in rebooting this month is to ASK those questions you've always wanted to have answered. Step up, raise your hand, find that person with the knowledge you need, and ask. Don't forget to ANSWER the questions brought to you or help someone find the answer as it may assist you, too.
 
I'll take it further and say never be afraid to ask God for knowledge or for your needs or the needs of others, as well. He'll never insult you, be assured of that. After all, you are His favorite. As I've heard, He'll say "yes", "no", or "I have something better in mind for you".
 
Happy Easter and Pesach Sameach!

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