teachers in life

by BlackSwan of Memphis 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  talesin

  BlackSwan,

  That is how I see life. We are all teachers, and all students.

  Often, I have thought about this in the context of JWD. There are amazing insights to be learned from the most surprising sources. The 'side' of a person that is revealed to us here is often just that ,,, one side of a very complex person. Some posters will usually be quite fluffy, but that does NOT mean they have nothing valid to say. When they do comment on serious issues, there are often gems of wisdom to be found in their words.

  tal
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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Although I know I can be a little arrogant at times

  Ex, I can honestly say I’ve never thought of you as arrogant. I enjoy your posts.

  Yeah, you guys see what I mean. Knowledge comes from the most unexpected of places (persons). Often times we learn the most from the most challenging of ideas.

  Terry, true re: that young people learn so much from these various sources.

  Mentoring. I would think, that to some degree we see this in the work force itself. True, not quite the way you see in the past. Still, I see this happen in different trades.

  I have to say, when I hear the word mentor. I think of George Costanza and his mentoring the kid who had wanted to be the architect. Funny, though,he didn't go into it to help this young man, so much as he went into it for his own ego.

  I also get a really good laugh when I think of that episode.

  I have to say, Jaffacake, you made a point re: classifying people. Much like what Talesin said re: those who can be fluffy.

  It’s easy to look at the few posts a person may make and then classify them. However, if you were to meet this person, without knowing who they are, perhaps at an aposta-fest and just start talking to them, you might find that this person is as Talesin said, very complex and has some very valuable qualities to add to a conversation. Then you realize who you are talking to and are pleasantly surprised.

  So that, now your opinion and “classification” of them has changed.

  Reminds me of high school. Ya know, there were the jocks, the cheerleaders, the burnouts, the nerds (ok, maybe my high school life was a little too reminiscent of Pretty in Pink).

  Pretty in Pink…..Actually, yeah. Put all those different people in a room with their different personalities and by the end of the day they had all walked out of the school with a new perspective of one another. Each of them had something to offer to the group. A person that one would think had nothing to offer to a conversation, classified as a loser, offering some of the most beautiful insight into human behaviour.

  So, has anyone ever had something like this happen? Anyone in your life, someone specific that really surprised you with what they had to share and you walked away with a new perspective? Any lessons that have been learned that you’ve not forgotten? I don't mean necessarily on the forum either.

  Ps Maybe I missed this in past, but valis, where and/or what do you teach?

  peace

  BlackSwan
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  AuntieJane

  I have learned something today, too late, but I HAVE learned. The story:

  My husband's bachelor uncle, the only JW in his family, living alone in our small community. When my MIL was alive, she included him in family activities. However, it has been years since we actually interacted with him, other than a wave on the street or a hello, how are you at the grocery store.

  We knew his health was not good, but did we bother to check on him? No. We knew he was a loner, but did we bother to call him? No. He died, having a good JW friend who looked in on him toward the end. This was his best friend in the world, the man who brought him into the JW cult. But, a better person than we, regardless of his religion. He cared enough to look in on his friend. We turned our heads in ignorance and selfishness.

  Today we were the ones, among a handful of other relatives, who cleaned up his mice infested trailer which should not have been inhabited by any human. We were the ones...who tried to gather up the few belongings he had that were of any value, to pass on to his out of state sister. Who shed tears of guilt for not being there for this person, this old sad man who always had a smile for everybody.

  It is a sad lesson of life. We can talk all we want about loving our fellow man, but do we practice what we preach? I pray to God that I am guided to change from this day on.

  Thanks for this posting this subject, it just brought this all to a head for me.

  AuntieJane
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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Auntie Jane,

  Maybe it wasn’t too late.

  Maybe it was on schedule in a way.

  You learned so much from this experience. Maybe it was one that you wouldn’t have learned any other way.

  I think the whole thing shows, that you Are a pretty compassionate person. Do you realize how many people could see first hand the living conditions a person survived in and still walk away uncaring?

  Side note: I would have to say, that most of the people on this board have a strong sense of right and wrong. Only because, when we look at one another, we see people that have chosen to do what is right, despite the enormous sacrifices it has cost them.

  So, while, we may look at each other at times and see people that are so different, ones that maybe make us shake our heads at times and say “wtf?“ we can see people with whom we have so much in common.

  I guess, what I was thinking when I wrote this, was very similar to what you posted Auntie.

  When I’m about and about, I tend to be one of those persons that’s willing to strike up a conversation with just about anyone.

  Even if they seem to have a language barrier, which around here happens quite often, I think why not smile and say hi and be friendly? 99% of the time people reciprocate. I have a short chat with them and often learn something new.

  You made a point, that I won’t forget.

  You were friendly with this person, but there was so much more going on, that you weren’t aware of.

  Hm…

  Thank you for the lesson.

  Many thanks

  blackswan