It makes me wonder

I have to wonder sometimes why we all do this “this work, I mean “and while I am at it, I must confess that sometimes I wonder why everyone doesn’t do it. So, there you go “my conflicting feelings about the field all wrapped up in one simple wondering.

I like wondering. It is one of my favourite activities and, I think, one of the greatest skills we can possess in working with kids and families: I wonder why he does that? I wonder why she thinks that. I wonder why they do it that way. I wonder why I am wondering about this. Ultimately, of course, wondering is the gateway to reflective practice “a gateway we should all walk through.

Not everyone wonders, of course. I know, for example, some folks who never wonder about why they are doing this work. Because they already know the answer: it’s a job, dummy! I know some other folks who never wonder about what is going on for the youth. “Who cares what’s going on?” they might say. “He still has to learn he can’t do that!” And as for wondering, for example, about why they are responding to a youth in a particular way, well they don’t think about it because it is just normal, their way of responding. It is the way it is, the right way.

I think life must be easier that way. Life without wondering. Imagine not having to think about things. Imagine always being sure. Imagine how much less stressful it must be to just not wonder. Sounds enticing. But I don’t really think it is possible to not wonder. People who say they don’t wonder, just aren’t noticing it.

But I wonder what would happen if we didn’t wonder. It seems so natural. From the earliest ages kids seem to wonder. They wonder how things work. They wonder what will happen when they do something like pull the cat’s tail. They wonder why a clock runs so they take it apart. And of course they all wonder why the sky is blue.

I can see, too, where wondering is a part of how we grow as a people: someone wondered what would happen if you mixed certain ingredients together in a certain way, and so we have bread. Someone wondered what would happen if you could harness the force of water, and so we have electricity. Someone wondered ... well, I am sure you get the idea.

But here’s something I really don’t understand. If wondering is part of how we develop (grow) as a human being and a people, if it is so natural, how is it that some people have learned how to “not wonder”? How did they stop this natural process? How did they kill their curiosity, and turn off the wonder process? Or did they really turn it off. Perhaps, like a monster in the closet, they just slammed the door shut and pretended it is not there.

So, like I said, life must be easier living that way. But I must confess I do wonder if it is natural. And I do wonder what it does to the kids.

Thom