People in general are afraid of questions. Going down the memory lane, we would find a childhood when we were scared of the questions of our teachers. Those who know the answer need not fear questions. They would raise their hands and say ‘Sir, I will tell the answer.’ There are also some others who hide from their teachers to escape questions. They would sit quietly with their heads down.
In fact, it is questions that help us grow. Those who try to escape questions are actually running away from themselves. They are afraid that their ignorance would be exposed. Great masters used to ask questions. It was through questions they helped their disciples grow. Think about the masters like Socrates. Not only did they ask questions but also they allowed others to question them. They never ran away from questions.
But, most rulers of the modern times are intolerant to questions. They would suppress questions that are darted towards them. They evade questions.
In some families too, the right to question is suppressed. In some houses, the wife has no right to question her husband about how he has spent the money and vice versa.
If the couples have no freedom to ask questions mutually, it means that the bond of love is absent.
There are also a different kind of questioning – questions of the children. Sometimes, parents are speechless before the questions of some little children, especially if he asks ‘From where did I come from?’ Most parents would respond to such questions with a ‘shut up’ command. Let children ask questions. Never silence them.
We also need to ask questions to ourselves. It’s a way to self-grow. Let the questions that sprout in us grow. Follow them. Ask questions until you get answers. We will grow along with those questions.
