Living Questions … Are we there yet?
Posted: 17/12/2015‘Are we there yet?’
Every parent has heard this question from the back of the car once the two minutes of ‘Eye Spy’ have worn off.
Maybe questions like this never quite go away but they just change form as we hit adolescence. They morph into questions like ‘Why am I here?’, ‘Where am I heading? and ‘What is the meaning of my life?’ These questions may remain with us our whole lives, and they are so big they may defy pat answers. We may respond to them differently at different times in our lives.
We could call these ‘living questions’. Once questions like these come out of the bottle, they remain with us, prompting us to reflect on our values, choices and relationships in all kinds of fruitful ways—even as they may make us feel uncomfortable at times.
Fortunately not all questions are the deep and meaningful kind—as useful as these are. Some questions surprise us, delight us, intrigue us, make us laugh or set up a whole train of stories.
- Who would you not want as a next door neighbour?
- What’s the kindest thing you have ever done?
- Do you believe in miracles?
- What’s the best, worst, funniest job you have ever had?
- What is stopping you?
- If you won a million dollars how would you spend it?
At Innovative Resources we have published Deep Speak, a set of 120 cards, each with its own question for opening up dynamic conversations with young people. The cards are colour-coded into six broad themes—openers, identity, beliefs, emotions, values and relationships—so that facilitators can easily make selections of cards, if they wish.
While Deep Speak is designed to appeal to adolescents, adults also respond warmly to the mix of questions. Teachers, counsellors, therapists, social workers, chaplains, youth workers, workshop facilitators and parents can use Deep Speak to build rich discussions about some of life’s big questions … and some of the little quirky ones as well.
This may be one resource that is really helpful in keeping the conversation interesting and alive on the journey to your holiday destination, or for family fun at home in the evening.
by Karen Bedford, Managing Editor
St Luke’s Innovative Resources
Other articles by Karen
The Nature of Strengths : Holding on and Letting Go What Drives the Choices we Make?
#DeepSpeak
Great to see Deep Speak cards are relevant, helpful and still selling after all these years!