I’m not really sure how or why we got going on our annual Question tradition. I only know it started in 2004 (we have the original papers to prove it).

The years have varied, prostate as years tend to do. There are squeals and giggles when reading past year’s thoughts, proud moments and tragedies. The Annual Questionnaire has been incredible on the part of my entire family and those other tremendous souls who have participated. Despite the usual loud groans of my younger brother, I am always delighted, surprised and astounded at the answers that come about when we share our worksheets together at the end.

2010/ 2011



1. What are three big highlights of 2010?


2. What is a setback or adversity you have had this year? If you had to handle it again, what would you do differently?


3. Who is someone you met for the first time this year who became special to you?


4. What is something you are planning on doing for the first time in 2011?


5. What is one proud moment you had this year?


6. Describe this year in 1-3 words.


7. If you had to choose a day to repeat this year, what would it be? (Little Brother’s Question)


8. One word theme for 2011. (Little Sister’s Question)


9. If you could re-connect with one person from your past who would it be, and how would you do it? (Mum’s Question)


10. What is something you are going to do next year you haven’t told anyone about yet? (Dad’s Question)


So if this year is a melting chunk of ice statue, old man 2010, and tomorrow is a sharp iced freshly carved statue of a wee baby, ready to mature through the year, what exactly might this year hold? It’s like the very best riddle of them all, to ask that question but to know the only way to find out is to keep breathing, keep working, keep playing, keep thinking, keep loving, keep trying, keep crying, keep riding, keep writing, keep walking day by day into the future.

 “I beg of you…to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms of books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without ever noticing it, live your way into the answer.” –Rainer Maria Rilke