Together, at Peace with Questions: Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and how
we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a question, do we
see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or as an invitation we
can stay with—one that allows room for thinking and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty. This
often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it— makes
listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about allowing
some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or listening with
courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires stepping out of our
comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every real question suspends
what we think we know and invites us into a space that has not yet fully
taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the anxiety
that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with the answers
we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but better
questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
So beautifully said Funda!
I always encourage people to post their topics as questions in an Open Space because of three traits of great questions:
- They provide focus and direction;
- They attract others who care about the topic; and
- They are an invitation because great questions are ones you don’t know the answer to so are best explored with others.
As you say: “…what we need today is not faster answers, but better questions we can stay with—together.”
Peggy
Peggy Holman
peggy@peggyholman.com
Bellevue, WA 98006
206-948-0432
www.peggyholman.com
Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity https://peggyholman.com/papers/engaging-emergence/
"An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, is to become
the fire".
-- Drew Dellinger
On Jan 11, 2026, at 2:23 AM, Funda Oral via OSList everyone@oslist.org wrote:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and how we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a question, do we see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or as an invitation we can stay with—one that allows room for thinking and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty. This often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it— makes listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about allowing some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or listening with courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires stepping out of our comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every real question suspends what we think we know and invites us into a space that has not yet fully taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the anxiety that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with the answers we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but better questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Dear Funda,
Peggy Holman sent me an old story on questions that is similar to
another old story that I had forgotten.
She found it in a November 25, 2009 message from Toke Møller on the Art
of Hosting listserv.
Thanks, Peggy!
Here it is:
*A Story about the Power of Questions *
To bow or not to bow……….?
”You can eat an apple”, I said and gave him the green fruit.
It was as if he had seen an apple for the first time.
First he just held it there and smelled it, but then he took a little bite.
”Mum - mum”, he said and took a bigger bite.
”Did it taste good?” I asked.
He bowed deeply.
I wanted to know how an apple tastes the very first time you taste it,
so I asked again:
”How did it taste?”
He bowed and bowed.
”Why do you bow?” I asked.
Mika bowed again. It made me feel so confused, that I hurried to ask the
question again.
”Why do you bow?”
Now it was him who became confused. I think he did not know if he
should bow again or just answer.
*”Where I come from we always bow, when someone asks an interesting
question” he explained – ”and the deeper the question, the deeper we bow.”
*
That was the strangest thing I had heard in a long time. I could not
understand that a question was something to bow for.
”What do you do when you greet each other?”
”We always try to find something wise to ask.” he said.
”Why?”
First he bowed quickly, because I had asked another question and then he
said:
”We try to ask a wise question to get the other person to bow”.
I was so impressed by the answer that I bowed as deeply as I could.
When I looked up Mika had put his finger in his mouth.
After a long time he took it out.
”Why did you bow?” he asked and looked insulted.
”Because you answered my question so wisely,” I said.
Now he said very loudly and clearly something that has followed me in my
life ever since:
”An answer is nothing to bow for. Even if an answer can sound ever so
right, still you should not bow to it.”
I nodded briefly. But I regretted it at once, because now Mika may
think that I bowed to the answer he had just given.
”The one who bows shows respect”, Mika continued, ”You should never
show respect for an answer.”
”Why not?”
*”An answer is always the part of the road that is behind you. Only
questions point to the future.”
*
Those words were so wise, I thought, that I had to press my hands
against my chin not to bow again……..
/- Jostein Gaarder, 1996 in Norway
/Have a great day
mmp
Am 11.01.2026 um 11:23 schrieb Funda Oral via OSList:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and
how we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a
question, do we see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or
as an invitation we can stay with—one that allows room for thinking
and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty.
This often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of
space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it—
makes listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about
allowing some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or
listening with courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires
stepping out of our comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every
real question suspends what we think we know and invites us into a
space that has not yet fully taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the
anxiety that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with
the answers we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and
widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but
better questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
OSList mailing list --everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email toeveryone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here:https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 7728000mmpannwitz@posteo.de
See the Open Space World Map with 545
Open Space Workers living in 82 countries
and active in 146 countries worldwide:
www.openspaceworldmap.org
Wow.
This make my evening, dear Michael.
And gives me the answer to a question I had just asked myself…
So now I bow to myself for this powerful question 🙃 and wink to you and this list for the delightful answers.
Marai
Am 14.01.2026 um 10:03 schrieb Michael M Pannwitz via OSList everyone@oslist.org:
Dear Funda,
Peggy Holman sent me an old story on questions that is similar to another old story that I had forgotten.
She found it in a November 25, 2009 message from Toke Møller on the Art of Hosting listserv.
Thanks, Peggy!
Here it is:
A Story about the Power of Questions
To bow or not to bow……….?
”You can eat an apple”, I said and gave him the green fruit.
It was as if he had seen an apple for the first time.
First he just held it there and smelled it, but then he took a little bite.
”Mum - mum”, he said and took a bigger bite.
”Did it taste good?” I asked.
He bowed deeply.
I wanted to know how an apple tastes the very first time you taste it, so I asked again:
”How did it taste?”
He bowed and bowed.
”Why do you bow?” I asked.
Mika bowed again. It made me feel so confused, that I hurried to ask the question again.
”Why do you bow?”
Now it was him who became confused. I think he did not know if he should bow again or just answer.
”Where I come from we always bow, when someone asks an interesting question” he explained – ”and the deeper the question, the deeper we bow.”
That was the strangest thing I had heard in a long time. I could not understand that a question was something to bow for.
”What do you do when you greet each other?”
”We always try to find something wise to ask.” he said.
”Why?”
First he bowed quickly, because I had asked another question and then he said:
”We try to ask a wise question to get the other person to bow”.
I was so impressed by the answer that I bowed as deeply as I could. When I looked up Mika had put his finger in his mouth.
After a long time he took it out.
”Why did you bow?” he asked and looked insulted.
”Because you answered my question so wisely,” I said.
Now he said very loudly and clearly something that has followed me in my life ever since:
”An answer is nothing to bow for. Even if an answer can sound ever so right, still you should not bow to it.”
I nodded briefly. But I regretted it at once, because now Mika may think that I bowed to the answer he had just given.
”The one who bows shows respect”, Mika continued, ”You should never show respect for an answer.”
”Why not?”
”An answer is always the part of the road that is behind you. Only questions point to the future.”
Those words were so wise, I thought, that I had to press my hands against my chin not to bow again……..
- Jostein Gaarder, 1996 in Norway
Have a great day
mmp
Am 11.01.2026 um 11:23 schrieb Funda Oral via OSList:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and how we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a question, do we see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or as an invitation we can stay with—one that allows room for thinking and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty. This often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it— makes listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about allowing some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or listening with courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires stepping out of our comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every real question suspends what we think we know and invites us into a space that has not yet fully taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the anxiety that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with the answers we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but better questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org mailto:everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org mailto:everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de
See the Open Space World Map with 545
Open Space Workers living in 82 countries
and active in 146 countries worldwide:
www.openspaceworldmap.org http://www.openspaceworldmap.org/
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Love this, Michael/Peggy.
Synchronistically, Jack Kornfield posted this sweet story about the Dalai Lama and his friend bowing. https://jackkornfield.com/the-dalai-lama-and-the-bow-all-in-this-together-series/?mc_cid=e6d45fa806.
Bowing to you all.
Namaste,
Christine
Christine Whitney Sanchez
Phoenix, AZ, USA • +1.480.882.8181
christinewhitneysanchez.com https://christinewhitneysanchez.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez/ | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez/ | Instagram https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez/
On Jan 14, 2026, at 2:03 AM, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList everyone@oslist.org wrote:
Dear Funda,
Peggy Holman sent me an old story on questions that is similar to another old story that I had forgotten.
She found it in a November 25, 2009 message from Toke Møller on the Art of Hosting listserv.
Thanks, Peggy!
Here it is:
A Story about the Power of Questions
To bow or not to bow……….?
”You can eat an apple”, I said and gave him the green fruit.
It was as if he had seen an apple for the first time.
First he just held it there and smelled it, but then he took a little bite.
”Mum - mum”, he said and took a bigger bite.
”Did it taste good?” I asked.
He bowed deeply.
I wanted to know how an apple tastes the very first time you taste it, so I asked again:
”How did it taste?”
He bowed and bowed.
”Why do you bow?” I asked.
Mika bowed again. It made me feel so confused, that I hurried to ask the question again.
”Why do you bow?”
Now it was him who became confused. I think he did not know if he should bow again or just answer.
”Where I come from we always bow, when someone asks an interesting question” he explained – ”and the deeper the question, the deeper we bow.”
That was the strangest thing I had heard in a long time. I could not understand that a question was something to bow for.
”What do you do when you greet each other?”
”We always try to find something wise to ask.” he said.
”Why?”
First he bowed quickly, because I had asked another question and then he said:
”We try to ask a wise question to get the other person to bow”.
I was so impressed by the answer that I bowed as deeply as I could. When I looked up Mika had put his finger in his mouth.
After a long time he took it out.
”Why did you bow?” he asked and looked insulted.
”Because you answered my question so wisely,” I said.
Now he said very loudly and clearly something that has followed me in my life ever since:
”An answer is nothing to bow for. Even if an answer can sound ever so right, still you should not bow to it.”
I nodded briefly. But I regretted it at once, because now Mika may think that I bowed to the answer he had just given.
”The one who bows shows respect”, Mika continued, ”You should never show respect for an answer.”
”Why not?”
”An answer is always the part of the road that is behind you. Only questions point to the future.”
Those words were so wise, I thought, that I had to press my hands against my chin not to bow again……..
- Jostein Gaarder, 1996 in Norway
Have a great day
mmp
Am 11.01.2026 um 11:23 schrieb Funda Oral via OSList:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and how we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a question, do we see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or as an invitation we can stay with—one that allows room for thinking and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty. This often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it— makes listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about allowing some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or listening with courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires stepping out of our comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every real question suspends what we think we know and invites us into a space that has not yet fully taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the anxiety that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with the answers we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but better questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org mailto:everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org mailto:everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de
See the Open Space World Map with 545
Open Space Workers living in 82 countries
and active in 146 countries worldwide:
www.openspaceworldmap.org http://www.openspaceworldmap.org/
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Thank you for this life nourishing wisdom
Thomas - bowing
Från: Christine Whitney Sanchez via OSList everyone@oslist.org
Skickat: den 14 januari 2026 20:31
Till: Michael M Pannwitz mmpannwitz@posteo.de
Kopia: Funda Oral fundaoral@gmail.com; OS LIST 2022 everyone@oslist.org
Ämne: [OSList] Re: Together, at Peace with Questions: Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space
Love this, Michael/Peggy.
Synchronistically, Jack Kornfield posted this sweet story about the Dalai Lama and his friend bowing. https://jackkornfield.com/the-dalai-lama-and-the-bow-all-in-this-together-series/?mc_cid=e6d45fa806.
Bowing to you all.
Namaste,
Christine
Christine Whitney Sanchez
Phoenix, AZ, USA • +1.480.882.8181
christinewhitneysanchez.comhttps://christinewhitneysanchez.com/
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez/ | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez/ | Instagramhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez/
On Jan 14, 2026, at 2:03 AM, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList everyone@oslist.org wrote:
Dear Funda,
Peggy Holman sent me an old story on questions that is similar to another old story that I had forgotten.
She found it in a November 25, 2009 message from Toke Møller on the Art of Hosting listserv.
Thanks, Peggy!
Here it is:
A Story about the Power of Questions
To bow or not to bow……….?
”You can eat an apple”, I said and gave him the green fruit.
It was as if he had seen an apple for the first time.
First he just held it there and smelled it, but then he took a little bite.
”Mum - mum”, he said and took a bigger bite.
”Did it taste good?” I asked.
He bowed deeply.
I wanted to know how an apple tastes the very first time you taste it, so I asked again:
”How did it taste?”
He bowed and bowed.
”Why do you bow?” I asked.
Mika bowed again. It made me feel so confused, that I hurried to ask the question again.
”Why do you bow?”
Now it was him who became confused. I think he did not know if he should bow again or just answer.
”Where I come from we always bow, when someone asks an interesting question” he explained – ”and the deeper the question, the deeper we bow.”
That was the strangest thing I had heard in a long time. I could not understand that a question was something to bow for.
”What do you do when you greet each other?”
”We always try to find something wise to ask.” he said.
”Why?”
First he bowed quickly, because I had asked another question and then he said:
”We try to ask a wise question to get the other person to bow”.
I was so impressed by the answer that I bowed as deeply as I could. When I looked up Mika had put his finger in his mouth.
After a long time he took it out.
”Why did you bow?” he asked and looked insulted.
”Because you answered my question so wisely,” I said.
Now he said very loudly and clearly something that has followed me in my life ever since:
”An answer is nothing to bow for. Even if an answer can sound ever so right, still you should not bow to it.”
I nodded briefly. But I regretted it at once, because now Mika may think that I bowed to the answer he had just given.
”The one who bows shows respect”, Mika continued, ”You should never show respect for an answer.”
”Why not?”
”An answer is always the part of the road that is behind you. Only questions point to the future.”
Those words were so wise, I thought, that I had to press my hands against my chin not to bow again……..
- Jostein Gaarder, 1996 in Norway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder
Have a great day
mmp
Am 11.01.2026 um 11:23 schrieb Funda Oral via OSList:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and how we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a question, do we see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or as an invitation we can stay with—one that allows room for thinking and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty. This often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it— makes listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about allowing some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or listening with courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires stepping out of our comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every real question suspends what we think we know and invites us into a space that has not yet fully taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the anxiety that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with the answers we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but better questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.orgmailto:everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.orgmailto:everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.demailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de
See the Open Space World Map with 545
Open Space Workers living in 82 countries
and active in 146 countries worldwide:
www.openspaceworldmap.orghttp://www.openspaceworldmap.org/
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
See the archives here: https://oslist.org/empathy/list/everyone.oslist.org
Thanks Michael, Peggy!
loved this : ”An answer is always the part of the road that is behind
you. Only questions point to the future.”
Le mer. 14 janv. 2026 à 22:32, Thomas Herrmann <
thomas@openspaceconsulting.com> a écrit :
Thank you for this life nourishing wisdom
Thomas - bowing
Från: Christine Whitney Sanchez via OSList everyone@oslist.org
Skickat: den 14 januari 2026 20:31
Till: Michael M Pannwitz mmpannwitz@posteo.de
Kopia: Funda Oral fundaoral@gmail.com; OS LIST 2022 <
everyone@oslist.org>
Ämne: [OSList] Re: Together, at Peace with Questions: Our attitude
toward questions shapes our capacity to create space
Love this, Michael/Peggy.
Synchronistically, Jack Kornfield posted this sweet story about the Dalai
Lama and his friend bowing.
https://jackkornfield.com/the-dalai-lama-and-the-bow-all-in-this-together-series/?mc_cid=e6d45fa806
.
Bowing to you all.
Namaste,
Christine
Christine Whitney Sanchez
Phoenix, AZ, USA • +1.480.882.8181
christinewhitneysanchez.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ChristineWhitneySanchez/ | LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez/ | Instagram
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez/
On Jan 14, 2026, at 2:03 AM, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <
everyone@oslist.org> wrote:
Dear Funda,
Peggy Holman sent me an old story on questions that is similar to another
old story that I had forgotten.
She found it in a November 25, 2009 message from Toke Møller on the Art of
Hosting listserv.
Thanks, Peggy!
Here it is:
*A Story about the Power of Questions *
To bow or not to bow……….?
”You can eat an apple”, I said and gave him the green fruit.
It was as if he had seen an apple for the first time.
First he just held it there and smelled it, but then he took a little bite.
”Mum - mum”, he said and took a bigger bite.
”Did it taste good?” I asked.
He bowed deeply.
I wanted to know how an apple tastes the very first time you taste it, so
I asked again:
”How did it taste?”
He bowed and bowed.
”Why do you bow?” I asked.
Mika bowed again. It made me feel so confused, that I hurried to ask the
question again.
”Why do you bow?”
Now it was him who became confused. I think he did not know if he should
bow again or just answer.
*”Where I come from we always bow, when someone asks an interesting
question” he explained – ”and the deeper the question, the deeper we bow.” *
That was the strangest thing I had heard in a long time. I could not
understand that a question was something to bow for.
”What do you do when you greet each other?”
”We always try to find something wise to ask.” he said.
”Why?”
First he bowed quickly, because I had asked another question and then he
said:
”We try to ask a wise question to get the other person to bow”.
I was so impressed by the answer that I bowed as deeply as I could. When
I looked up Mika had put his finger in his mouth.
After a long time he took it out.
”Why did you bow?” he asked and looked insulted.
”Because you answered my question so wisely,” I said.
Now he said very loudly and clearly something that has followed me in my
life ever since:
”An answer is nothing to bow for. Even if an answer can sound ever so
right, still you should not bow to it.”
I nodded briefly. But I regretted it at once, because now Mika may think
that I bowed to the answer he had just given.
”The one who bows shows respect”, Mika continued, ”You should never show
respect for an answer.”
”Why not?”
*”An answer is always the part of the road that is behind you. Only
questions point to the future.” *
Those words were so wise, I thought, that I had to press my hands against
my chin not to bow again……..
*- Jostein Gaarder, 1996 in Norway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jostein_Gaarder *Have a great day
mmp
Am 11.01.2026 um 11:23 schrieb Funda Oral via OSList:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I wanted to share some thoughts I published on LinkedIn.
Have a great weekend!
Toward Brighter Days Together, at Peace with Questions:
Our attitude toward questions shapes our capacity to create space—and how
we choose to exist within that space. When we encounter a question, do we
see it as a threat that must be answered quickly, or as an invitation we
can stay with—one that allows room for thinking and transformation?
When we cannot tolerate questions, we rush to close down uncertainty. This
often leads to defensiveness, rigid judgments, and a narrowing of space.
Yet staying with a question—without immediately trying to resolve it—
makes listening, connection, and mutual expansion possible.
Creating space is not about answering every question. It is about allowing
some questions to work on us. Asking ourselves questions, or listening with
courage and sincerity to those posed to us, requires stepping out of our
comfort zones and into uncertainty. Because every real question suspends
what we think we know and invites us into a space that has not yet fully
taken shape.
When we are able to ask questions together, we can share both the anxiety
that uncertainty brings and the responsibility that comes with the answers
we find. Questions asked collectively lighten the load and widen the space.
Perhaps (Probably) what we need today is not faster answers, but better
questions we can stay with—together.
Funda Oral Toussaint
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
See the Open Space World Map with 545
Open Space Workers living in 82 countries
and active in 146 countries worldwide: www.openspaceworldmap.org
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