These three words are becoming a mantra of sorts today. I see the phrase often. It appears in articles I read and has become the title of a Bible study video series created by scholars John Dominic Crossan and the late Marcus Borg.
The phrase comes from a letter the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) wrote to a young man in 1903 troubled by the doubt and uncertainly he felt in the early twentieth century, a time of change like our own marked by worry about the future.
Rilke “begged” his young correspondent, plagued by questions about the future, “to be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves.” Answers would come later, but for now, “the point is, to live everything. Live the questions. “Perhaps,” Rilke added, “you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
What does it mean to “live the questions?” In this same letter, Rilke tells the young man to “trust in Nature, what is simple in Nature, in the small things that hardly anyone sees and that can so suddenly become huge, immeasurable; if you have this love for what is humble and try very simply, as one who serves, to win the confidence of what seems poor, then everything will become easier for you….”
There is some wisdom in this advice. Small and humble things are important. My father used to quote Lincoln (or at least he said it was Lincoln): “Save your pennies, and the dollars will save themselves.”
Perhaps it is time for Americans to hit the pause button on the constant crisis music that fills our political, social and national media. Whatever we read or watch, we are beset by questions we cannot easily answer. “Will American democracy survive?” “How long will we have to live with COVID-19 and its after effects?” “Will our economy survive?” “Will humans be able to address conditions posed by climate change before our species and many others are destroyed?”
These questions do have answers, but we have to live our way into those answers. We have to live with doubt and uncertainly without being immobilized by them. ‘
Living the questions requires that we address climate change energetically now by reducing carbon emissions; this will be harder if we focus excessively on articles and books that paralyze us with talk of a how close we are the possibility of mass extinction of life by the end of the century.
Living the questions means quieting the Trumpian talk of evil migrants and Muslims and working quickly and calmly to prepare for the mass migrations that climate changes will bring to the earth.
Living the questions will secure our democracy if we steadily and quietly put the health and economic welfare of the majority of people ahead of those of the one-percent and if we allow all Americans to vote (even those in Congress) by ending voter suppression measures and the 60 votes necessary to pass legislation in the Senate.
Living the questions will result in an easing of domestic terrorism and systemic racism as we continue our current efforts to reform law enforcement practices and prosecute all incidents of law-breaking and insurrection by white supremacists on the far right who vastly outnumber the rioters on the far left.
To Live the Questions is to substitute deliberate action for debilitating anxiety. It is to listen to each other when we disagree instead of just lamenting polarization in our politics and society, and by confirming that polarization by blaming it on “the other guy.”.
We have to do more than just tolerate ambiguity, change, and uncertainty. We must accept these things as the price of being humans instead of squirrels. We must replace conspiracy theories with cooperation and a common search for the truth.
It has been over 65 years since Sy Miller and his wife Jill wrote the words and music of the song (or is it a hymn) “Let There Be Peace on Earth, and Let it Begin with Me.” Maybe it is time to turn that title into a question and then begin to live it?
4 replies on “Living the Questions”
My favorite quote of 2021 so far is by Ken Wolf. You ready?
“We have to do more than just tolerate ambiguity, change, and uncertainty. We must accept these things as the price of being humans instead of squirrels.”
Great piece. I hear you on this one. Never so much uncertainty in such huge areas of life & our very existence. It is hard to wrap our minds around. You help make it understandable for me.
Keep writing! It may be cathartic for you, but is a gift for the rest of us.
This is an insightful essay filled with mature wisdom for living in uncertain times. I second hitting “the pause button on crisis music that fills our political, social, national media.” Watch national and cable news programs sparingly.
Each of us has personal power that we can use as opportunities present themselves. Envision the future you want. Then, do what you can, where you’re at for as long as you can to live that vision into reality. Send the energy of Love and Gratitude into the universe through good works and prayer.
Finally, and this is the hardest thing to do, let go of your attachment to the outcome.
Thank you for this piece. The sentence that stood out for me was ” To Live the Questions is to substitute deliberate action for debilitating anxiety. ” With the election of President Trump and the pandemic, I often would feel paralyzing anxiety. I did take deliberate actions to get healthier. Stop watching the news was one action. As Covid started and I had to give up my volunteer work, I called myself a prayer warrior, praying for strength and guidance and for our country. It was a deliberate action. Now, as we take baby steps to the post-Covid world, I will reflect on your words to guide me. Again, thank you.
Thanks Linda. My anxiety is rarely paralyzing, but Deanna helps me get my head on straight when it is. I think I need to imitate you and stop watching the news–except maybe for PBS News Hour. As you reflect on my words, I will reflect on your action! How about that?