"A problem well stated is half solved." -Charles Kettering
The scope of the unknown will always outpace our ability to comprehend it. The truly curious are interested in knowing--not just for the sake of answers--but for guiding the formation of better questions. It is in this pursuit that we can find rest and assurance. The stability we long for is, in fact, a product of momentum, just as a bike in motion is easier to balance
In 1914, Thomas Edison awoke in his home with news that his lab, full of his in-progress inventions, was burning to the ground. When he arrived at the scene countless others were panicking, trying to stop the flames. They expected Edison to be distraught. Instead, he called off those trying futilely to end the conflagration, saying, "It's all right. We've just got rid of a lot of rubbish."
Edison knew full well the progress that he had lost in that fire, but here was a man not attached to answers. He knew inside that his brilliance and success lay in the pursuit of answers--not in their attainment. The next day he was back at the lab table, starting anew.
As you conduct your day, pay attention to whether or not you perceive problems as obstacles to be defeated by or to overcome. If this is frequently your mindset you will frequently be disappointed. Every mountain that you climb may present another false summit. Instead, consider how today's struggles are potentially tomorrow's friends as you take on ever more challenging questions.
One of the great paradoxes of consciousness is its confined limitlessness. We are made in God's image, yet trapped in finite containers. Deriving meaning from physical reality only will never satisfy the parts of us that desire more. By loving the mystery (in and of itself) and surrendering our need for static answers, we can get closer to infinity. By asking questions that invite explanations instead of presuming conclusions, we can get closer to truly listening--truly living.