I was reading a book the other day by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk and Zen master, Thich Nhat Han. I always enjoy reading him, though I cannot say that I can always grasp all that he is trying to teach. One particular paragraph in the book I was reading really struck me as something to think about. Here’s what he wrote: “We often ask, “What’s wrong?” Doing so, we invite painful seeds of sorrow to come up and manifest.We feel suffering, anguish and depression and produce much more seeds. We would be much happier if we tried to stay in touch with the healthy, joyful seeds inside of us and around us. We should learn to ask, “What’s not wrong?” and be in touch with that. There are so many elements in the world and within our bodies, feelings, perceptions, and consciousness that are wholesome, refreshing and healing. If we block ourselves, if we stay in the prison of our sorrow, we will not be in touch with these healing elements.”

Have you ever stopped to consider the kinds of questions you ask? It is very important in our spiritual growth and development to pay attention to our questions. St. Ignatius of Loyola taught his disciples to pay close attention to their “inner voices” and to discern their origin. The questions we ask, those inner voices, do truly plant seeds in us. These seeds will germinate and produce a bountiful harvest. What kind of harvest? We can choose to be people of hope and joy, or people of despair and sorrow. It all depends on the seeds our questions sow.