Since I was little, I’ve had big questions.

But most of them I was too scared to ask out loud because I was afraid I’d sound dumb (or worse, that I was dumb). I also feared that I would upset the status-quo or lose my belonging in the spaces that were most important to me.

I think that’s why I became a teacher because I loved how questions led to learning. As a Spanish teacher, I always told my students, “there is no such thing as a dumb question. So ask away!” I realize now, these were the words I needed to hear.

Even now, as a full-grown adult, I’ve come to see that there are certain questions that still seem too scary to ask. Ones about faith, history, religion, systems and also, my shadow and blindspots (which have only felt safe to be exposed in the light of Love). The wilderness of the pandemic has caused these questions to bubble up; ready to burst.

And as some have begun to burst, I’ve found that my questions aren’t the enemy. In fact, my questions are passageways. Ways forward. Ways through. Ways home to myself. To God. To others.