Teachers in Disguise

"I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange I am ungrateful to these teachers."

-- Kahlil Gibran

Yes, our teachers are everywhere, clothed in the strangest disguises. Whenever I'm at a restaurant and see a grossly obese person I think twice about ordering desert. Skinny people don't inspire me to lose weight but fat asses sure do! And I'm sure my own bad habits and less than stellar behaviors have helped others see the light as well. Hey, I'm here to serve -- even if it's only as a bad example.

The thing is, when faced with verboseness, intolerance or unkindness, we rarely see it as a gift. Instead we bristle and fret and fume and complain about the unorthodox teacher that appears before us. It's time for us to see the world with new eyes.

Today, let's be on the lookout for Teachers in Disguise. It may be the stinky guy next to you on the train, or the loud mouthed woman behind you in line at the post office, or the surly server at a busy restaurant, or even (gasp!) a member of your own family. Teachers come in all guises and disguises, and very few of them even know they're teaching! That's the beauty of it -- we can learn from, and be fueled by, their unconsciousness! No tuition, no books, no student loans. Teachers everywhere just for the taking!

And when you get tired of learning. When your brain is just full up. Switch roles. Go out there and be a bad example for somebody else! I have faith in you; you can do it. Learn from bad examples. Teach by bad example. The circle of life is complete. And it's a beautiful thing.