What’s Your Question

 

My first memory of going to a museum was when I saw a tall dinosaur standing on large legs with massive teeth. 

 

Then there were times over the next years when I was able to see statues, original paintings and intriguing architecture. 

 

At times, there are others there who I can get more information from about each item. 

 

They make sure to be available to say what’s your question when I’ve approached. 

 

It may have taken time to know what I needed to ask over the years and then the additional details they’ve shared have become powerful.

 

I learned a part of this years ago as I began to understand that knowing what to ask comes first. 

 

Let’s start with the dinosaurs that I saw when I was a young child. 

 

In the beginning, I would walk through each room and notice how big or small each one was. 

 

It was over time that I was able to look at details, read about each one and then begin to think about what I’d like to know. 

The questions started for me.

Then the questions started for me.

 

Why was that dinosaur bigger? 

Did all of them eat leaves off the tall trees? 

When did the small dinosaurs become fast runners? 

 

Can you see my young mind looking for a beginning level of understanding?

That was when I knew it was time to ask more questions. 

 

Looking for someone to help me learn more there, and then on my own, became important. 

 

Over time, I was able to go back to that museum to share that information with other kids. 

More opportunities to ask what’s your question.

Now, how about we consider another space with more opportunities to ask what’s your question? 

 

This one included taking a train and making time for me to prepare for what would be seen. 

 

I was able to attend this museum, the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., after years of hearing about it.

 

My mind tried to think about what I would see and then I walked through the doors.

It was time to learn more.

 

Walking into this area included being greeted by a quote that says: 

This museum is not an answer. It is a question. 

 

Elie Wiesel is the one who said this. 

The wave of questions begins to come to me.

As I stood in this opening, I let the wave of possible questions begin to come to me. 

 

The next things I saw was about people, the lives they lived and what happens when laws are put in place against others. 

 

I am trembling as I write these words as this museum tells about people who are near and dear to many. 

 

What’s your question at this point? 

 

I had thousands as I stepped deep into each room. 

 

Could I remember to be mindful and learn first? 

Yes, I could remember to do both. 

 

As I walked through each room, experiences and stories found an unexpected way to me through that day. 

 

When I did not know how or why something had happened with such sadness, I was then given one more piece of the story. 

 

Here is one that happened for me.

 

Do you see this window? 

The architecture in the building gave glimpses of sky along the way. 

I was grateful for the ability to look up.

I was grateful for the ability to look up and it is also part of what questions were asked by me in this space. 

 

Did you know that this came to others who had their experiences shared here?  

Even being able to be a storm chaser can help you watch the sky. 

 

It is what I do in my life. 

 

What I learned that day told me this. 

 

• Staying open so see each thing that comes to me can be powerful. 

 

• Trembling with others along with the experiences in life can bring more questions. 

 

• Knowing who I can ask those questions to is important for me and those in my space. 

 

I have also learned that when I look up and show others that sun and storms are a part of life, we can come through this. 

 

Maybe the window in our world will show us what questions to ask next.

 

How about this? Let’s look for the spaces you learn about and then step through the next door together.