From Questioning...

She said :
They asked a lot of questions. Asked till I was dumbfounded. I don’t know how to answer them.

He said :
You mean they asked such difficult questions?

She said :
No. I mean they only asked many unrelated and irrelevant questions. For examples,
"Why need to study?"
"Study for what?"
"Many people never study this but also surviving very well what?"
"Why study this topic? Got relevance in society meh?"
"My parents are rich. I need not work next time. I don’t feel the need to study. Can?"

He kept quiet for a while, trying to empathize with her little frustration.

He said :
Do we really find their questions “unrelated” and “irrelevant”?

She expressed a little surprised about his reply.

He said (very gently, this time) :
Why were we “unable” to answer their questions in the first place? Could it be we don’t have satisfactory answers for ourselves also? In our position, when we can’t answer these questions, we may be indirectly affirming their “not-so-right” beliefs. They might say or feel, “See, adults also don’t know.”

She seemed to be expressing :
But.. Aren’t the answers obvious?

He said :
One may know the “standard” answers, but may not buy in the ideas. Things that are obvious to us, need not be obvious to them. We are not talking about forcing our ideas on these young minds. They are thinking individuals also. We merely play a role in sharing with them.

She said :
How would you answer their questions then?

He said : … …
(Not typing his reply here. You ought to think about these questions yourselves, and hopefully you can come to a more balance state. If you are only thinking about getting a degree and getting a job, next time, heh.. your learning journey seems to have missed out something. Anyway, his reply is just an informal sharing.)

He continued :
I don’t know all answers, but I welcomed their questions. Their questions reflect the blank or grey areas they have. From then, I can see how I can best assist them. Furthermore, if they were to really ask a question that I can’t answer, admit it, need not hide or lie. In the process, I have to face the fact that it only signals that the question is also mine. If thereafter, I manage to find the answer, I am not only helping them, but also helping myself.

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有一位圣者这么说：

离别要不哭、不泣、不丧志，才有积极乐观的人生；
聚合要能忍、能劝、能珍惜，才有天涯咫尺的情谊。