“Why is Plop afraid? Have you ever seen an owl? (She hasn’t seen an owl before.) What is that light on the wall? Why is the window creating the light? What is a mystery? Do you like my watermelon pillow? Why my pillow so big?” Her curious mind flooded me with questions.
This morning, my four-year-old, Ryn, woke up two hours and fifteen minutes earlier than usual. As we settled into our quiet time, we read “The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark” together.
While I was reflecting on the past few weeks and mustering the patience to give her space and grace, Ryn’s inquisitiveness reminded me of a valuable lesson from my EMP-Entrepreneurs Master Program. Verne Harnish once said that the key to successful problem-solving is to discover the right question, not just prioritize answers. We often have plenty of answers but fail to consider if we’re even asking the right questions.
As children, we naturally ask many questions, but as we grow older, we lose that skill. This morning, Ryn’s endless questions brought me face-to-face with the gift of curiosity and the power of asking questions.
There’s a profound difference between simplicity and ease. Communicating ideas clearly takes work, even if they seem simple. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had to confront my own relationship with darkness, and reading this children’s book was more enlightening for me than any of the other books I’ve been reading… including one on being a better parent. This morning, I got to be the better parent.
I realized that Ryn was exploring and discovering her world without any shame or embarrassment. She didn’t know what a mystery was, and she was eager for me to explain, which expanded her world and sparked a two-way conversation. Through her questions, I learned more about her, and she learned more about me. We shared a deep connection and grew in understanding. It was an amazing quiet time together.
P.S. Thank you, @ronnie_texas & Vision Implementors, for sharing “The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark.” It’s an incredible gift on many levels!
