Life itself is a mystery. When we honor life, death, and our relationships, we can remember that many things are not known for certain. What is magical is the inquiry.
Megan Brown, who teaches logic at a community college in Portland, Oregon, once said that, confronted with a situation where you are likely to get angry, a person still has choices. You can respond with outrage, and sometimes that is appropriate. You can also respond with wonder. It is possible to be curious. One can be amazed at the things people do and say, without rejecting them and their right to exist.
In a challenging situation, ask:
- 1) What assumptions am I making?
- 2) Do I think that I know something I don’t know?
- 3) What could be the value of replacing certainty with uncertainty?
Placing oneself in an inquiry can be a wonderful way to live.
