One of the best books I read in college may have been a paperback from the career center, Richard Bolles’ classic job-hunting guide, What Color is Your Parachute? He recommended listening carefully to a hiring manager’s question—there likely was a fear behind it. Since then, I’ve often listened for fear buried in a question.

For example, as the parent of an adult with autism, I’ve been asked how I found acceptance. My simple answer is: I love all my children fiercely and with my oldest, that also meant recognizing the responsibility to raise him as best we could, and learning how to meet that responsibility in a loving way. But what if there’s a fear in that question, perhaps something like:

• I struggle to accept my child’s disability and worry that means I am unloving and unlovable
• If accept my child as autistic, I’ll limit their options for the future
• My acceptance doesn’t matter when the world around my child doesn’t care

In other words, when the question signals fear, the answer is different. Our emotions can flag poor conditions around us. When we feel afraid, we can take a breath and see what our emotions are signaling. Do we need more information? Do we need to connect to different people or resources? Better questions lead to better answers–letting love and acceptance shine through.