After signing off from the office one evening, I stepped into the lift, heading down to the parking lot. A young employee was in the lift with her small child. As we descended, I noticed the little boy's eyes fixated on a packet in my hand—a small treat shared by a colleague from his birthday celebration.
Unable to contain his curiosity, the child suddenly asked me, “What’s that?”
His innocence and directness brought a smile to my face. Without explaining, I simply handed him the packet and said, “See for yourself, and enjoy.” As the lift doors opened at the ground floor, we walked our separate ways, complete strangers yet momentarily connected by a simple exchange.
What struck me most wasn’t just the child’s curiosity, but his uninhibited willingness to ask. He didn’t hesitate or overthink; he just asked. And in return, he got his answer—perhaps even a little surprise.
This made me reflect on how, as adults, we hesitate so much when it comes to asking. We second-guess ourselves, overanalyze situations, and often remain silent out of fear—fear of looking foolish, fear of rejection, fear of seeming intrusive.
But isn’t it true that we only get answers when we ask?
Whether it’s asking for directions when we're lost, seeking clarity in a relationship before assumptions take over, inquiring about a raise at work instead of waiting indefinitely, requesting help with a task instead of struggling alone, or even simply asking for a restaurant recommendation when unsure what to order—we often hold back. We assume, we hesitate, we let uncertainty linger, all because we don’t ask.
How many opportunities have we missed, simply because we were too afraid to speak up?
Maybe, deep down, we fear vulnerability. Maybe we’ve been conditioned to believe that not knowing something is a sign of weakness. But in reality, asking is a sign of strength—it shows curiosity, a willingness to learn, and the courage to connect.
Think about how much simpler life could be if we just asked—if we didn’t let misunderstandings linger, if we cleared our doubts without hesitation, if we spoke up about what we wanted instead of expecting others to guess. A child asks without hesitation, but as we grow, we learn to suppress that instinct. What if we unlearned that hesitation?
Perhaps, the answers we seek are always within reach. We just need to ask.
The writer is working as Chief Manager (HR) in CMPDIL, Ranchi (A subsidiary of Coal India Ltd) and the views expressed in the article are her own.