I imagine first who would be at my table, for this Thanksgiving, it will be just me. So indulge me, as I dive into my imagination. My first Love (no longer living), Gloria Steinem, Jakob Dylan (son of Bob Dylan), Judy Blume, Brene' Brown, Jesus, Golda Meir. The Questions: 1. What is your first memory? 2. How did you heal your heart after it was first broken 3. What song plays in your head/heart? 4. If you weren't you, who would you want to be? 5. What is one of your reoccurring dreams? 6. What did you need growing up, that you did not receive from your parents? 7. How do you show others that you love them? Suleika, my joy for you and Jon is soaring. Thank you for the gift (to come) of your story/movie. Ezra, such a gift to ask questions that stun others into silence, while those who answer, speak their truths.
First and foremost, thank you, Suleika, for your constant, consistant and vulnerable sharing every week from your heart and from your life. You have an incredible gift of making us all feel like you are one of our best friends. This Thanksgiving will be a quiet one shared with my wife, my youngest daughter and her fiance, and their two year old, my sweet granddaughter Juniper. Seven questions I might ask are: 1. What moment this past year brought you the most joy 2. Where do you dream of traveling to 3. What self care practice do you hope to implement this upcoming year and why 4. What was your favorite book you read or listened to this past year and why 5. What is your favorite place to go outside 6. What do you pray for the most 7. What do you enjoy the most about your life partner. Happy, blessed Thanksgiving to all!
I love the idea of asking "What's on your unofficial resume?" because I worked in unsatisfying jobs for a long time despite having a rich "unofficial" life.
What wonderful thoughts for Thanksgiving. I would love to be asked where I felt most alive this past year (in the forest). I’ll remember this when next all the kids and grands are gathered around our table. Thank you.
As a psychotherapist, the topic of questions gets to the heart of my work. I’ve always been fascinated by intriguing questions, and I’m always looking to craft better ones. Timing is as important as the nature of the question asked. People tend to think we go to therapists only when life goes horribly wrong. But the value of seeing one is better framed with a question around how we can find more meaning. So, I tend to ask questions like, “What went well over the past week?” Or, I will encourage deeper exploration of a basic premise underlying a statement like, “So, what part of you had control in that moment?” For younger clients, the extreme “Would you rather…” questions are way more fun! Another telling question is about a special gift they received in childhood and why it was so special to them.
“If you want to identify me, ask not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, and what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.” Thomas Merton
Thanks for the great subject. Question marks are like upside down plows, they break open surface soil for earth fecundity and truth seeding.
Where are the silences in your life?
What makes you come fully alive?
In what community are you most yourself?
How can we know? For what can we hope? What does it to mean to be human? What ought I to do? (Kant)
Where are you? (Genesis)
Who is it that asks the question?
It’s not only what we ask, but how we ask...with I-Thou presence.
This is a great prompt. One I am going to put a lot of careful thought into. I believe in the power of a good question also the skill it takes to truly listen to the response 💜
Nov 19, 2023·edited Nov 19, 2023Liked by Suleika Jaouad, Holly Huitt
Thank you Suleika for your thoughts and the essay by Ezra Bookman. I have attended way too many gatherings where the conversation was inane. I am a curious person who doesn't particularly enjoy topics such as the weather or what do you do for a living. The meaty questions are the ones that allow the other person to go deeper into their feelings and yourself to get to understand another on a much deeper level. That being said, I believe a lot of people are hesitant to really expose their innermost feelings, a kind of self-examination or therapy session if you will with another. It can be a scary proposition. Those that do, however, allow for a rich experience of our common humanity. Beautiful piece. Again, much gratitude.
Suleika, I love the prompt and send warm regards to your readers. I am conjuring the story to tell our guests , whilst sharing with them your invitation to speak. My sister passed away recently after living for 25 years, following a breast cancer diagnosis. She consistently headed into the wind and I expect setting my sails in that direction, I will find her voice in my telling. Thank you. Susan M
This week I attended a committee meeting at work and rather than doing the usual introductions we were asked to tell others something about ourselves that we would like them to know. I learned so much about people that I work with every day!
1.What is something about you that might surprise us?
2. If you had to leave in a hurry what three things would you take?
3. What did you do this year that made a difference in someone’s life?
4. What are you most proud of?
5.If you could have one wish what would it be?
6. If money was no object what you do? Would you switch jobs? Would you work at all?
I cherish my Sunday morning routine. While still in bed, I consume Suleika’s prompt and the guest essay. Then, I make coffee while my husband sleeps. I sit in stillness and allow my thoughts and emotions to tumble out freely. Sometimes, I amaze myself with what is NOT those “well-worn anecdotes’ or stories I have told over and over (boring myself and probably others). Suleika, your prompts do “twist me out of my normal speech patterns” as the gift and questions of that reporter in London. Thank you! Thank you!!! This morning I could not stop writing and learned so much from myself that will change how I host Thanksgiving this year. I have written a lot about that and may offer it later, but until then, these are some of my questions:
What did you think about before you fell asleep last night?
Who has dazzled you by just being themselves?
If you were giving away your possessions, what are the 3 things you would keep?
What is the song that goes straight to your heart?
Describe the place where you feel the safest.
Have you discovered something about yourself this week?
This was the perfect reminder for me to get out of my head and not stress so much about the upcoming holiday To sit and truly be present and engaged with each other and maybe even lighten up a bit is what I’m intentionally going to focus on I’m not even doing the cooking so why am I letting any anxieties rob me of the specialness of Thanksgiving
I imagine first who would be at my table, for this Thanksgiving, it will be just me. So indulge me, as I dive into my imagination. My first Love (no longer living), Gloria Steinem, Jakob Dylan (son of Bob Dylan), Judy Blume, Brene' Brown, Jesus, Golda Meir. The Questions: 1. What is your first memory? 2. How did you heal your heart after it was first broken 3. What song plays in your head/heart? 4. If you weren't you, who would you want to be? 5. What is one of your reoccurring dreams? 6. What did you need growing up, that you did not receive from your parents? 7. How do you show others that you love them? Suleika, my joy for you and Jon is soaring. Thank you for the gift (to come) of your story/movie. Ezra, such a gift to ask questions that stun others into silence, while those who answer, speak their truths.
First and foremost, thank you, Suleika, for your constant, consistant and vulnerable sharing every week from your heart and from your life. You have an incredible gift of making us all feel like you are one of our best friends. This Thanksgiving will be a quiet one shared with my wife, my youngest daughter and her fiance, and their two year old, my sweet granddaughter Juniper. Seven questions I might ask are: 1. What moment this past year brought you the most joy 2. Where do you dream of traveling to 3. What self care practice do you hope to implement this upcoming year and why 4. What was your favorite book you read or listened to this past year and why 5. What is your favorite place to go outside 6. What do you pray for the most 7. What do you enjoy the most about your life partner. Happy, blessed Thanksgiving to all!
1) First bike rides?
2) Dawn or Dusk?
3) Oatmeal or Granola?
4) First concert
5) Your slippery slope
6) Embarrassing moment
7) Worst neighbor story/best neighbor story
Potential icebreakers
I love the idea of asking "What's on your unofficial resume?" because I worked in unsatisfying jobs for a long time despite having a rich "unofficial" life.
What wonderful thoughts for Thanksgiving. I would love to be asked where I felt most alive this past year (in the forest). I’ll remember this when next all the kids and grands are gathered around our table. Thank you.
As a psychotherapist, the topic of questions gets to the heart of my work. I’ve always been fascinated by intriguing questions, and I’m always looking to craft better ones. Timing is as important as the nature of the question asked. People tend to think we go to therapists only when life goes horribly wrong. But the value of seeing one is better framed with a question around how we can find more meaning. So, I tend to ask questions like, “What went well over the past week?” Or, I will encourage deeper exploration of a basic premise underlying a statement like, “So, what part of you had control in that moment?” For younger clients, the extreme “Would you rather…” questions are way more fun! Another telling question is about a special gift they received in childhood and why it was so special to them.
“If you want to identify me, ask not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, and what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.” Thomas Merton
Thanks for the great subject. Question marks are like upside down plows, they break open surface soil for earth fecundity and truth seeding.
Where are the silences in your life?
What makes you come fully alive?
In what community are you most yourself?
How can we know? For what can we hope? What does it to mean to be human? What ought I to do? (Kant)
Where are you? (Genesis)
Who is it that asks the question?
It’s not only what we ask, but how we ask...with I-Thou presence.
I love this idea of asking meaningful questions. I have a few:
•what is your all-time favorite movie
and why?
•what would a perfect day, all to yourself, look like?
•tell about a favorite childhood memory
•what inspires you at work?
I am looking forward to what others share.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all!
This is a great prompt. One I am going to put a lot of careful thought into. I believe in the power of a good question also the skill it takes to truly listen to the response 💜
Thank you Suleika for your thoughts and the essay by Ezra Bookman. I have attended way too many gatherings where the conversation was inane. I am a curious person who doesn't particularly enjoy topics such as the weather or what do you do for a living. The meaty questions are the ones that allow the other person to go deeper into their feelings and yourself to get to understand another on a much deeper level. That being said, I believe a lot of people are hesitant to really expose their innermost feelings, a kind of self-examination or therapy session if you will with another. It can be a scary proposition. Those that do, however, allow for a rich experience of our common humanity. Beautiful piece. Again, much gratitude.
Suleika, I love the prompt and send warm regards to your readers. I am conjuring the story to tell our guests , whilst sharing with them your invitation to speak. My sister passed away recently after living for 25 years, following a breast cancer diagnosis. She consistently headed into the wind and I expect setting my sails in that direction, I will find her voice in my telling. Thank you. Susan M
This week I attended a committee meeting at work and rather than doing the usual introductions we were asked to tell others something about ourselves that we would like them to know. I learned so much about people that I work with every day!
1.What is something about you that might surprise us?
2. If you had to leave in a hurry what three things would you take?
3. What did you do this year that made a difference in someone’s life?
4. What are you most proud of?
5.If you could have one wish what would it be?
6. If money was no object what you do? Would you switch jobs? Would you work at all?
7..What do you hope will be different next year?
As we sit around this table, what brought you here?
If you could offer one gift to this gathering, what might it be?
Is there anyone around this table you share a secret with? No need to reveal the person nor the secret’s content.
Are you missing anyone tonight? Again, no need to reveal this someone.
Please tell us one regret you have from today’s activities; this covers the whole day from waking up to arriving at this table.
Please share one sadness in your life’s journey.
Please share one joy.
Can requests be held as questions?🏮
How do you find fulfillment?
When do you feel most secure?
What foods reminds you of home?
What makes you come fully alive?
What was your favorite game as a child?
If you could re-do one moment good or bad in your life, it would be________
How do you spell relief?
How do you hide?
I cherish my Sunday morning routine. While still in bed, I consume Suleika’s prompt and the guest essay. Then, I make coffee while my husband sleeps. I sit in stillness and allow my thoughts and emotions to tumble out freely. Sometimes, I amaze myself with what is NOT those “well-worn anecdotes’ or stories I have told over and over (boring myself and probably others). Suleika, your prompts do “twist me out of my normal speech patterns” as the gift and questions of that reporter in London. Thank you! Thank you!!! This morning I could not stop writing and learned so much from myself that will change how I host Thanksgiving this year. I have written a lot about that and may offer it later, but until then, these are some of my questions:
What did you think about before you fell asleep last night?
Who has dazzled you by just being themselves?
If you were giving away your possessions, what are the 3 things you would keep?
What is the song that goes straight to your heart?
Describe the place where you feel the safest.
Have you discovered something about yourself this week?
What art form speaks most to you?
Where have you always wanted to travel to?
This was the perfect reminder for me to get out of my head and not stress so much about the upcoming holiday To sit and truly be present and engaged with each other and maybe even lighten up a bit is what I’m intentionally going to focus on I’m not even doing the cooking so why am I letting any anxieties rob me of the specialness of Thanksgiving
Thank you!