Teachers & Lessons
* I’m sitting in a small cafe. A boy at the next table is standing in his chair waving his fork around and teasing his sister. Their mother quietly sips her beverage, while the other patrons look on and shake their heads in silence. I briefly look into the boy’s eyes, and I see my own gratitude for having parents who saw the value in teaching manners.
* I’m standing in a line at the supermarket. The cashier is extraordinarily slow. She looks up from her register and shares a sweet crooked smile. In her brief smile, I’m reminded that this is an opportunity to improve my patience in waiting.
* I’m sitting in the cool green grass alongside the koi pond. I watch the koi as they glide through the water. As each fish approaches another, they always make time to kiss and greet before they continue in their journey. The koi remind me of the importance in appreciating others in my life.
* The elderly Korean man that lives nearby sees me coming home and he starts a friendly conversation. He soon begins sharing stories about the old days, the same stories that he has told me many times before. He is unaware that he is repeating himself, and I would never tell him so. He teaches me that sometimes it’s more important just to listen.
* I blog-hop through my daily reads, and discover that a friend is going through a difficult time. In her words, I find the lessons of strength and faith, which gives me the courage to approach my own challenges in life.
Everyone is a teacher. Everyone is a guru. Everyone is a wise old sage. Every moment is an opportunity to learn something new, to relearn what I already know, or to improve the person that I am.