Always ask questions.

We talk often about knowledge, what it means, how to attain it and we encourage our kids to always ask questions. We tell them, “Don’t pretend to know something. Get to the core of what you don’t understand by utilizing resources around you.”  Asking questions is a fundamental part of understanding the world. Young or old, this is how we LEARN.

Albert Einstein talked often about the importance of balancing creativity with learning and thought this was the “supreme act” of a good teacher, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination; Creativity is intelligence having fun.”

Baseball and softball rule our summers on land and we love it. The tournaments are great fun and the kids practice hard, but we have noticed that the intuitive play of the game is mastered in the backyard. The more the kids play together, have fun together, the better they are on the field. They trust each other because their friendships have grown deep over slip-and-slide whiffle ball, backyard home-run derbies and mountains of post-play ice-cream.

“A playful mind is inquisitive, and learning is fun.” – Bill Watterson

Last year, one of our kids had a coach who rebuked questions. He considered questions an inferiority complex, not a sign of intelligence. He had an, “If you have to ask, you shouldn’t be here” sort of attitude. It’s hard to educate in an open way when an adult unknowingly pushes back our progress. Though a good experience for all, to learn first hand how ineffective communication and admonishing curiosity are qualities that stagger creativity and keep people, of any age, from giving their best selves.

Fortunately, the kids played on multiple teams (17 different coaches from their many teams this year alone) and there is something to learn from every coach, in every sport.

“A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers.”  – Helen Keller

Interesting, that while baseball season was just getting underway, Oliver wrote this response as part of a writing lesson:

“Preparation for the real world is not in the answers you’ve learned, but in the questions you’ve learned how to ask yourself”, says artist Bill Watterson. Rilke wrote books of poetry on this same subject. *See below for link to Rilke’s book titled, “Letters to a Young Poet.”

Last week we were fortunate to go to the Muhammed Ali Center and Museum in Louisville, Kentucky. We loved it. It is a formidable space loaded with memorabilia, interactive displays and a well-curated show of Cassius Clay’s life mission. He was a man of many, many words. His whole life was about questioning the status quo and giving back to others.

Ali wrote beautiful poetry, created works of art and made poignant statements about religion, racism and justice. He questioned everything.

We were beyond delighted to learn that Muhammed Ali kept a poem in his pocket at all times – in particular because that poem is one of our family favorites: “If”, by Rudyard Kipling.

Bill Watterson is the artist and creator of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. His quotes were found in Maria Popova’s “Brain Pickings”. https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/05/20/bill-watterson-1990-kenyon-speech/