When life starts to get overwhelming and I wonder why I am having such a hard time with things, it helps me to think of my mistakes and trials in terms of lessons. If I am really learning all these lessons, then all these individuals who I come across in the course of my days and weeks must surely be teachers who are helping me to learn those lessons…
I am not sure where I heard the term “learning partners” first, but I have a friend who uses it often to create cushions of compassion for those people who we might have a hard time with in the course of our lives. Whether it is a crabby clerk at the grocery store or an ex-spouse or partner, a child’s teacher or an administrator who lacks understanding, even all those coworkers who might create additional challenges in our lives can be great learning partners and teachers to help us along our road of personal growth. We single parents certainly don’t have the market cornered on personal growth or learning partners, but we do get our share.
Adopting the philosophy that these people are teachers will not keep us from getting aggravated or annoyed or angry; it might help to stop thinking like a victim or feeling victimized, but it not going to guarantee perpetual bliss or that we will always be able to welcome adversity with open arms. After all, I am still a flawed human who can get as short-tempered as the next person. I find, however, that when I remind myself that some of these ordinary aggravations (and ordinary aggravating individuals) are teachers and there is something for me to learn in everything, I feel a bit more resilient and able to let the lessons unveil themselves to me.
Also: There is Value in Everything
Lessons We Can Learn from our Children