I don't know

[ckroll 101]

There is a wonderful book by Stephen Batchelor, Buddhism without Belief. It's short. He brings up the topic of Agnosticism and makes the point that " I don't know." Is a very good answer to many questions. Most of the time we don't know. It is an honorable way to live one's life. Not to be ignorant or not to care, but to admit that there are things we do not know. If the thing is important, then we need to know, if it is not, then we don't. We don't need to guess.

In so many threads I read people who have good hearts, who obviously care about doing the 'right thing' that jump to conclusions. This is horrible, this is great. But their emotional response is based on nothing but rumor, an "I've heard..." or "they say". It is a worthy cause that good should be rewarded and bad expunged, but please, patience. Do not assume the worst, do not assume the best. With our patients, with our fellow providers, take the time. Be in the moment, the future will reveal itself.

Franz Kafka, along with writing a number of fairly disturbing short stories, also wrote a list of 104 aphorisms. This is my favorite:

Franz Kafka

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.