Asking Questions

May 1, 2025- Thursday

We all ask ourselves questions, let's make sure we answer them. 

This was a topic posed to me.  I've never been very good at asking questions. My first problem with asking questions is that I don't always think about them in the course of a conversation.  I usually have to review a conversation or a subject and analyze the information and that is where I come up with questions.  The other factor I am aware of about asking questions is that many times I simply do not care enough about the situation or the subject to ask questions.  

Yet another reason why I do not ask enough questions is that I'm afraid to ask dumb questions. There are those people who say there are no dumb questions.  That is inherently wrong. We see that on almost every sporting event televised in the inane questions the sideline reporters ask players after games. It is embarrassing to me to ask dumb questions because I know what kind of lasting impression that leaves with people, and I do not want to leave a last impression that I am dumb.  

I also know I am not an over inquisitive person so that also impacts when I feel it is necessary to ask a question. Maybe it is part of being a man but probably not. I have not asked that question. 

One thing I have found about asking questions is if you listen long enough, questions get answered before they are asked.  I was asked by a boss one time why I did not ask more questions.  When I told him I had found that if I listen well, my questions are usually answered.  It left him without any more questions for me. 

Obviously, questions are very important, and I know I'm not really good at asking questions.  At 70 years old, I can still work on improving my ability to ask questions.  I do ask myself questions about myself, and many times I do not like the answers.  I work to be somewhat self-intuitive, but I do not always have a good answer to my own questions about myself. There are also times when I really don't like my answers and that hurts my self-esteem, so I do not spend a lot of time thinking about it.  

I know I am a very flawed person, and I wish I was a better person.  The individual psyche is interesting. I can see my flaws, but I cannot effectively fix those flaws. So, I ask myself questions about why I am the way I am, and I do not have good answers.  The harder questions surround why I cannot seem to fix my flaws when I am aware of them. Could I use some personal counseling? I probably could but that requires money which I do not have so I continue to work to be the best I can be and work on answering my own questions.