Thursday, September 27, 2007

Questions


My son said to me the other day "what are pubic lice?" what a question!

I was driving 4 kids to school last year when they asked me what HIV was, try explaining that at 8.30 am to an 8 year old and three 10 year olds.

I remember someone once saying "don't be afraid of the questions" I like that, I'm not always cool with not having the answers, but I do enjoy asking questions.

I love the way children approach questions it's not that the questions are simple it's just that they aren't afraid to ask and, unlike adults, they don't worry about looking stupid.

We know someone whose son came home and said "I am not sure if this is swearing or not, but can I say it backwards and you can let me know?" his mother whose was very pleased with this good mannered attitude said yes and her son then said "off piss"

I guess we all have our own set of questions, probably not as simple as the ones above, but we shouldn't be frightened of them.

I love that old cliche, "the more you know, the more you know that you don't know" I think it's true.

The worst question I ever asked was upon visiting someone I had never met before, I was very tired and they had a picture on the fridge, I thought the face was familiar, and said "is that a picture of the pope?" the lady I was staying with said "No thats my mother"!!!! it was a hole I felt unable to dig out off. The next morning I looked again and of course she looked nothing like the pope.

Questions are good, just got to make sure you ask them tactfully.

5 comments:

Tanya Heasley said...

John, me and the kids were eating in Pizza Hut a few years ago when Morgan asked "Do you and dad have sex?"

John, who was eating a piece of pizza, just stopped chewing and stared at me. I put my knife and folk down and simply replied, "Yes".

At first the boys were disgusted with us and then for the next 5 minutes they kept giggling.

That has to have been the funniest, most awkward question they have asked. The best bit about it though, was John's face. It was such a picture.

Anonymous said...

Kids questions are great and the sense of timing when they ask them is usually even better. I think that's what Jesus wanted us to be like?

By the way Martyn Joseph did a good song called "Treasure the Questions" - he left the Christian ghetto and now is an excellent highly respected "folk" artist, shining questions and a few shafts of light into dark places. A great example of what you were saying yesterday.

Monday's post and Fellers comments were spot on for me right now having to leave the "comfort" of my problem and move on into the unknown. Thanks.

KJG said...

Brian, u make me laugh mate.. the pope! lol Wat an insult.. yes im finally have a blog, I will up properly within the next few days.

Hope all is well..

Jenelle said...

I'm moving to California in a few days and a 8 year old asked me yesterday, with wide eyes, "Oh! Is there still gold on the ground there?"

It made me happy.

I think the way non-Americans say "off-piss" backwards is much more effective. I think you use it as an imperative, and we use it as an adverb, or something.

charlotte said...

Brian...that really is golden. I'm reading your blog at 1:30am and I laughed so loudly at the pope story that I think I just woke my parents up.

keep up the good work, I miss walking the streets with you guys!

love to the family