I was raised to embrace knowing all the answers. I was taught at an early age to raise my hand in class, speak up and “show” how much I know. Academic success was viewed as the only success that matters. Out of all the children I knew that were my age, only one took drawing and music class. I used to think it was very odd that her mom would let her “waste time” drawing. I used to think the unbalanced emphasis on academic success and showing off might have been cultural. When I moved to the States, I was happy to see that art and creativity were also embraced.
However, Western culture also embraces knowing it all and having all the answers. Where is the growth in always talking and always having the answers?
Over the past year, I have come to appreciate the power of asking questions rather than knowing all the answers. The power of silence compared to constantly speaking or showing off. I now embrace not knowing and I teach my son that when we face a situation where we do not know the answer, then we have an opportunity for growth.
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