To question something often comes with negative connotations. In traditional families in my culture, questioning those elder to you was often seen as a sign of great disrespect. Their decisions were to be assumed as correct whether you liked them or not. The head of the family would say something and that was it. Everyone would comply. Sounds a bit like the Godfather, if you ask me.

In the scientific world, to question a theory from all angles and perspectives is the only way of proving its validity. We were taught theorems and formulae that worked no matter what the variables were. On any given day, you could look into the news and you’ll see articles on scientists disproving theories because someone found a new way of looking at it. Pluto just stopped being a planet one day!

But as people just living their regular lives, questioning things can be a mixed bag of implications depending on the subject of your questioning. Asking questions before financial decisions is good, but questioning someone’s intentions can be construed as rude. And we wouldn’t want to be rude, now would we?

As a kid, I remember asking questions like why does the moon follow the car as we drive to store? Why do I feel pins and needles in my feet every once in a while? But as an adult, I sometimes ask myself,

"Why am I doing this?"
"Do I still enjoy reading?"
"Should I have said something?"

These are questions that are easier not to ask. Ignorance is bliss and not brewing such questions over saves us the need to examine things that *should* or *are supposed to* be right. Take me, for instance. I don't read nearly as much as I used to. Am I still an avid reader? That's low fruit on the tree of questions you can ask but I'm not about to get into questioning career and life choices in this post. That's for you to indulge in at your own leisure.

I’ve found that such questions are deeply important. I find myself questioning decisions, relationships, religion and, yes even my desire to read every now and then. And while it sounds like a tiresome existence full of doubts, it’s brings a sense of certainty. It is not a life spent worrying about everything, but rather knowing that should things change, should I change – I will be conscious of it. Because I will ask why today feels different than yesterday. And my answer will provide some semblance of a path ahead.

It is almost a lifestyle – to question things. But, on a more sad note, I have known people who don’t question their behaviours or words. Who go through life not wondering if they might be wrong. Their ignorance is bliss for them alone. For those around them, it is a stark reminder of the cost of not taking a look at yourself and asking a few questions.