In a recent conversation on a topic I’ve already forgotten, a friend typed back the following line: “This I don’t know.”
Forever part word nerd, part grammar geek, I stopped copied the text onto a notepad, and carried on with my afternoon.
At first it was the way it sounds. The simple addition of “this” made “I don’t know” seem formal and lovely, and not in a stuffy way. But I think it was more than just the syntax that caught me.
This I don’t know.
It almost offered a humbling surrender. What would it mean to admit you simply don’t know?
I don’t know much about astrology, but I know I’m a Taurus and I know Taurus is known for being stubborn. (That is the extent of my knowledge on this topic.)
And stubbornness, while it has undoubtedly helped me believe in myself and dare greater than reason would often allow, has also left me with a bit of a pride problem.
You don’t have to be born between April 21 and May 21 to know that pride keeps us from admitting what we don’t know.
But if we don’t acknowledge where we are lacking in knowledge, how can we grow?
This week, I’m adding “This I don’t know,” to my internal list of frequently used statements. And I look forward to finding more opportunities to learn.
Love always,
Liz
