The Canopy Was Never Short
“Nyansa ntena onipa baako ti mu.”
The Akan people of Ghana have a timeless proverb: “Nyansa ntena onipa baako ti mu,” which means, “Wisdom does not reside in one person’s head.” It is a reminder that no single person possesses all the answers. Wisdom is often found in the perspectives, experiences, and questions of others as well.
I recently witnessed this truth in the most unexpected way.
A group of us had gathered to set up a portable canopy. What seemed like a simple task quickly became a frustrating one. We unfolded the frame, pulled at the legs, adjusted the joints, and tried everything we thought would work. Yet the canopy remained unusually short.
We assumed it had been manufactured that way.
The more we struggled, the more convincing it became that the problem was with the canopy itself.
Then a simple question interrupted my assumption.
“Why would a company manufacture a canopy this short?”
The question was so ordinary that it almost went unnoticed. Yet it changed everything.
Instead of continuing to wrestle with the canopy, I paused, looked again - this time with curiosity instead of certainty.
That was when I discovered the extension legs tucked neatly into each corner. They had been there all along, hidden in plain sight.
"I've got it!" I blurted out, a rush of excitement washing over me as I realized what we had all overlooked.
Within moments, the canopy stood tall, filling the space just as it had been designed to do.
A problem had led to a question.
The question had led to a solution.
Standing there, I realized the canopy had taught me far more than how to assemble it. It reminded me of the wisdom captured in the Akan proverb.
No one in that group, regardless of age or experience, had the complete picture. We each saw part of it. The solution emerged not because one person knew everything, but because someone was willing to ask a question the rest of us had overlooked.
But there was another lesson that stayed with me.
The question came from someone younger.
In many cultures, age and experience are rightly honoured. Those who have walked the road before us carry lessons that cannot be learned from books alone. But while experience deserves our respect, it should never blind us to the value of fresh eyes and curious minds.
Sometimes, the youngest voice in the room notices what everyone else has missed.
Sometimes, the person with the least experience asks the question that unlocks the answer.
And sometimes, wisdom arrives dressed in curiosity rather than credentials.
As a young person, that moment encouraged me.
It reminded me that we don’t have to wait until we’re older before our ideas matter. We don’t have to possess decades of experience before we can contribute something valuable. If we remain observant, humble, and willing to ask thoughtful questions, our perspective can become part of the solution, and sometimes, the anchor.
If you’re young, what insight have you been hesitant to share? If you’re older, when was the last time you learned something profound from someone younger?I'd love to hear your story in the comments.
Pronunciation: Nyahn-sah n-TEN-ah oh-NEE-pah bah-KOH tee MOO