Saturday, May 23, 2015

Admitting You Don't Know

BY Joan Whetzel




Not knowing things used to bother me a lot. It doesn’t bother me so much anymore. Although I know it still bothers some people.


 Experts can be bothered by not knowing How can one be an expert and not know all the answers. Those who think they’re experts can’t stand not knowing. They simply have to proclaim the answer to every perceived dilemma or “I wonder…” statements made by others. They would rather proclaim something than be seen as not knowing. I’ve known too many of these self-proclaimed experts. I can’t stand listening to their answers to everything. What if I don’t want my wondering solved? Sometimes I just like to wonder for the pleasure of wondering. Besides letting my brain wander in wondering, I frequently come up with answers for myself that I never knew existed, answers that are way better than anything the know-it-all experts could ever come up with.


Then there are the people who know everything about everyone else’s business. This
one is even worse. I either walk away or tune out any gossip coming out of their mouths. And if they ask if I know anything about another person’s business, the first thing that comes to mind is a quote from Jack Kerouak: “I don’t know. I don’t care. And it doesn’t make any difference anyway.”


            I find there’s something freeing about admitting I don’t know. I’m free to let my mind wander into whatever amazing place it wants to wander. I am free to drop everyone else’s business – a mighty heavy load – and wander through my life with a much lighter load. I have the freedom to find the answers that

No comments:

Post a Comment