I had an interesting conversation today with a new friend. I was sharing with my friend a resource that I have found invaluable to my growth. When I explained a bit about the resource, the friend said "So this is your teacher?" The answer was "no" because I don't consider this person to be my teacher, and yet, this is a person of value to me because I've learned so much from her.
Ah, I realized that I hadn't put the resource in a bigger context when I explained it. In my world, there are no teachers. There is no one further along the road than I am, someone deserving of respect, whose words I hang on to suck the meaning from them, and whose example I strive to follow. That is how I define a teacher. Instead, I have set my heart to be a learner. I'm open to learning from anyone or anything at any time. That includes learning from myself, when I have the presence of soul to do that.
The difference seemed very subtle to my friend, almost imperceptible to her. But to me, the distance between following a teacher and being a learner couldn't be any further apart. I strive to be a person whose heart and mind are open to discovery and eager to incorporate new truths or ideas into my life and outlook. From within myself, I look to see what the universe presents at my feet. And within myself, I try out the new ideas, testing them with experience, to see if they inform me. I decide if the truth fits me or not, and adjust myself according to what I discover. I'm looking within to find the teacher by setting my heart to be a learner.
I trust that when great souls cross my path, people who could help me become the person I want to be, I've got my heart set to recognize the gifts that appear at my feet. And if not from that soul, I trust that another soul or situation will present itself in a way that I open to it, at a time when I'm prepared to learn each lesson. That is my faith, and that is my course.
