Google Maps failed us, so we resorted to asking a person.
Take Pen to Paper: Edition 45
Most children have no problem asking.
As a teacher, I said many times, “There are no dumb questions.”
As we age, the action of asking others seems to disappear. The older we get, the more we hate to ask. Rejection, embarrassment, and doubt are the most obvious reasons.
Sometimes it’s stubbornness masquerading as determination.
We arrived in Scotland around noon after our overseas flight. Even though we were exhausted, we decided to power through until later in the afternoon or evening before giving in to a good night’s sleep.
As soon as we got to our hotel room, we set out for a meal and a few groceries to have on hand while exploring. Food was easy. Restaurants were everywhere. For groceries, we were in luck! Google said a Sainsbury’s Market was less than a mile from our hotel.
Google Maps, lead the way!
We walked a few blocks, and the directions changed. We followed the new directions. Google Maps said we were getting farther away! After wandering around at the whim of Google Maps for a mile or more (as a daily walker, I knew we had walked at least a mile), our exhaustion convinced us to return and ask the hotel clerk.
The clerk was happy to tell us the store was four blocks away on the same street as the hotel. He pointed in the opposite direction Google Maps had taken us. If only we had asked first.
Asking questions is natural.
We have the questions. We ask ourselves first. Generally phrased, they might sound like this:
Where is it?
How do I get there?
How do I do this?
What do I need?
How can I fix this?
Fill in your details. We are constantly asking questions. We don’t necessarily ask the questions out loud directed to another person.
It’s good to ask questions.
A question is the first step of your journey to finding an answer.
You may end up with more than an answer. Most people you ask are happy to help. Asking questions can lead to mentors or friendships.
Shortly after starting this newsletter, I subscribed to another newsletter on Substack. The welcome letter was much more personable than the generic letter provided by Substack. Because I dove in head-first on with my new venture, I was sorely lacking in navigating the site. How did she do that?
In her welcome letter, she said she answered all her emails. (Sound familiar?) What did I have to lose?
The rest is history. After a few email exchanges, she even subscribed to my newsletter.
Don’t misunderstand me.
Working by yourself to find answers is good for you. We need to exercise our brains and challenge ourselves to keep learning. There is a time and a place to do just that.
Asking people for help or information also has a place. We shouldn’t fear making a connection with others. The connection we make has benefits, too.
The worst that can happen when we ask others is to be told, “No.” That becomes the start of a new plan to find the answer.
Flying back from visiting my in-laws, I was seated by a child. She sat in the aisle seat. Her older sister was across the aisle. Her mother was seated elsewhere in the plane.
My seatmate looked to be six years old. She had her beloved doll with her. She sat the doll in her lap and carefully buckled the seat belt around it and herself. (I raised two boys. I thought this action was adorable.) She giggled while watching a movie about mermaids.
The flight attendants came through with water, chips, or cookies. After the little girl ate her chips, she went to open her water. She struggled, trying several times to twist off the top. I thought she might ask her sister, so being a stranger, I didn’t offer to help. Finally, she turned to me and asked, “Can you open this, please?”
Absolutely!
I hope she never fears asking.
7 Days, 7 Thoughts on Gratitude and Good
I’m grateful that I have learned it’s better to ask than worry about what others will think about me when I ask.
One of my friends wrote this essay on asking questions. It’s short and worth the read.
Quote: “Asking questions is one of the best ways to grow as a human being.” -Michael Hyatt 🌱
Asking questions can lead to more than one answer. Good questions create conversation. This article talks about how to ask good questions.
Maybe we shouldn’t always rely on digital maps. If I’m staying in a new place, I like the visual layout a paper map gives me. Here are three advantages of paper maps. 🗺
It’s good to ask others to share their knowledge. Not only do you learn the answers you need, but you also make the person feel valued and needed.
I’m grateful for the technology we carry with us every day. I’m even more grateful that I have tech-savvy children to ask when I can’t get my technology to work.
Thank you for reading!
I hope you make some connections this week by asking or being asked questions.
❤
Susan
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Lovely piece Susan. I’m an asker - unlike my husband Grrr!