The problem of certainty

The feeling of certainty brings me nothing but unhappiness, whereas curiosity (the opposite of certainty) makes me soften into a sense of deep peace. When I convince myself that I am certain that I KNOW how something is going to turn out, or who somebody is, or what my problems and neuroses are...I suffer. I get rigid, and I suffer. When I remember that I don’t know anything (not even who I am, or who YOU are, or what the next moment will bring) I can relax. I relax, because I get interested.

You would think it would be the opposite — that certainty, which we all seem to seek and crave with a near desperate urgency — would bring peace. But it doesn’t. Not for me. Certainty makes my mind and my world and my body contract. Certainty narrows the aperture through which I see myself, you, the future, and even the past. Curiosity — the open-hearted courage to say “Hmmm....I don’t know, actually, but let’s see. Let’s find out. Could be anything, really. This could turn out in any number of ways. This person could surprise me. I could surprise me. Tomorrow could surprise me. I can’t say for sure that I know what even happened back then. Let’s see what is revealed. I have no idea.” There. Peace. Instantly. Ok, loves — have a curious day. I love you