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Daily Question, May 11

Who has been a teacher in my life? What gifts have they passed on to me?

  • SK

    So many. Where do I start. I think first about my teachers- Mrs. Belch, Mrs. Carson and Mrs. Maynard- ethics, doing your best, trusting me, believing in me. My professional colleagues- John, Carolyn, Kristi, Rick- ethics, dedication, compassion. My parents- ethics, trust, believing in me. I think about my spiritual guides- John, Iris, Eyde- all giving me a glimpse of the greatest story on earth and in Heaven.

  • Malag

    There’s so many but I want to pick the less obvious to me: my dogs I have been privileged to be companions of. Thousands of years of evolution honed that one look from them. It says: here, now, I wag you pet, always. 

  • delilah
    my mother passed her mindset of not liking her body and habit of checking the back of food for the serving size every time she ate. tho she rasied me, as a female growing up in this world, it was not good for 9 year old me to be starting to copying her actions. my father passed his anger issues and traits down to me, i remember his little patience and short temper sense i could remember anything. my sister passed down to me how to be the perfect person to everyone and hide everything till you br...

    my mother passed her mindset of not liking her body and habit of checking the back of food for the serving size every time she ate. tho she rasied me, as a female growing up in this world, it was not good for 9 year old me to be starting to copying her actions. my father passed his anger issues and traits down to me, i remember his little patience and short temper sense i could remember anything. my sister passed down to me how to be the perfect person to everyone and hide everything till you breakdown one night and hope no one notices, i did that too after seeing her. i copied that, try and look perfect for everyone and make it seem like you have the best life out there, then breakdown once a week at midnight because you held too much in. my brother showed me that not caring about anything can still get you some where in life. he never did school/never went, he graduated and got his bachelors degree and now is a football coach. i now feel like i can give up when ever and say “fuck this” but i dont. because then i wouldnt seem “perfect” because i need good grades like my sister to be perfect, then everyone would see that. my family are my teachers, teachers may know alot about their topic ad what they must teach, but sometimes the way they teach isnt good.

    Read More
  • Anonymous

    My Reflection

    Anthony DeNino’s ‘The Power of Giving and Gratitude’ book, is what led me to Gratefulness.org.

    https://www.creatingourreality.com/order-the-book.html

    P. S. Not an AD.

    With Gratitude,
    Samuel Archer

  • Toni

    Fear is my biggest teacher. Fear has kept me thinking limiting thoughts. With love on the other hand all things are possible. So if I can maintain a “what if” mentality I have a better change of a better outcome. I’m working on letting go of false teachers, false teachings and trust in my Higher Power working on my behalf. I borrow all this stuff from AA because it works. And since AA is based on the bible I don’t have a problem with that. I need truth no matter where I find it.

  • Cathie

    There was a teacher in HS. She was a bit different looking and quirky. Many kids loved her classes but still made fun of her. She knew, yet never really cared. She was comfortable in her own skin and didn’t try to change based on others’ reactions.
    In the way she was so self-assured, despite what others said or did, she taught me it was ok to be who you really are-no matter what.

  • Elaine

    Right now I’m “sitting at the feet” of Kristi Nelson and Br David drinking in their practical real life wisdom in the course Wake Up Grateful. The guidance to take nothing for granted
    is the heart of it.

  • sb

    My Mum and Dad passed on so much – a love of learning, a love of music, of books, of nature, independence and a set of values that enable me to live a happy and fulfilled life working well with others. My science teacher passed on her love of chemistry which set me on my path to study chemistry at university.
    So many people have passed wonderful gifts on to me, and I believe we always have the opportunity to learn from others and accept gifts from them if we are open to the possibilities.

  • Don Jones

    I know the question says people, but I have to say for me it is trees. They show me how to be rooted in this Earth, yet reach for eternity. How to creatively express their manifestation. How to be available to others – to provide shade, support, sustenance yet remain true to their being. To yield to passing storms and to bloom. Ha, to even be present to the enlightenment of the Buddha. Mmmm, their gifts are many.

    • Cathie

      Don,
      You might find this interesting. The Smithsonian’s arrival on how trees do communicate

      https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/

  • Mica

    My son! This week he passed on his recommendation of “The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself”, which is seeming quite amazing, as I start reading it.

  • dcdeb

    I had a music teacher that passed on the gift of the appreciation of classical music. An ancient history teacher that gave me knowledge into the past that i’ve never forgotten.

  • Rob Kinslow
    Some and maybe most of my best teachers have been those who taught me how to write — how to burnish what natural talent I felt growing inside. (When your father is an English teacher and your mother a librarian, it’s words and books all the time!) Not all were writers -- some were music teachers, some were farmers, some were single moms. All their teaching had one thing in common: think of others first, always, and try to be uplifting. Following their lead, I’ve come to call what I do writ...

    Some and maybe most of my best teachers have been those who taught me how to write — how to burnish what natural talent I felt growing inside. (When your father is an English teacher and your mother a librarian, it’s words and books all the time!) Not all were writers — some were music teachers, some were farmers, some were single moms. All their teaching had one thing in common: think of others first, always, and try to be uplifting. Following their lead, I’ve come to call what I do writing-with-listening.

    Read More
  • Carol

    Everyone who crosses my path has been my teacher either in a positive or a negative way. The ones that taught me the most were the ones who taught me how to live more fully and openly. Some I knew in the flesh. Others open my eyes and my heart through their writings.

  • Chester

    The gift of immeasurable perspectives – if only I will just pause and consider before moving forward, deciding, and/or reacting.

  • Patricia

    A significant teacher of mine taught me to notice the people that most others either willfully ignore or simply don’t see… Thank you, Mrs. Merritt.

  • DeVonna

    Jackie Urgeleit taught me the importance of compassion for strangers.
    Emi Abe taught me that life is for LIVING.
    My grandmother ( Winifred Hogstad ) taught me to be patient and loyal to my spouse.
    My children taught me that I can do great things.

  • Katrina
    My mother taught me the gift of storytelling. Nothing that happens in your life is boring if you tell it right. My daddy and mother taught me the gift of perseverance and hard work to do the job right, well, and with pride. Maurine Dunn taught me to tap dance when I was four - I still love to watch tapping and enjoy doing it from time to time. My sister Rose taught me no boundaries - think big, wide, beyond, open - but keep some rules in your pocket that are non-negotiable. My other sister has t...

    My mother taught me the gift of storytelling. Nothing that happens in your life is boring if you tell it right. My daddy and mother taught me the gift of perseverance and hard work to do the job right, well, and with pride. Maurine Dunn taught me to tap dance when I was four – I still love to watch tapping and enjoy doing it from time to time. My sister Rose taught me no boundaries – think big, wide, beyond, open – but keep some rules in your pocket that are non-negotiable. My other sister has taught me a love of stories through books, movies and song. My husband is teaching me gardening, And my children and grandchildren have and are teaching me patience, love languages, and what happens when you live the life you were given instead of the one you expected.

    Read More
  • sunnypatti
    My mom, who taught me how to take care of myself and be independent. My step-dad, who is my dad, who taught me that love is stronger than blood. My 10th grade science teacher, who introduced me to Greenpeace and loving Mother Nature and taking care of her. My ex-husband, who I learned all about codependency from - not purposely, of course! And his aunt, who once told me that some people were meant to suffer, but that those people (me, in her reference) had a very special place in heaven...

    My mom, who taught me how to take care of myself and be independent.

    My step-dad, who is my dad, who taught me that love is stronger than blood.

    My 10th grade science teacher, who introduced me to Greenpeace and loving Mother Nature and taking care of her.

    My ex-husband, who I learned all about codependency from – not purposely, of course! And his aunt, who once told me that some people were meant to suffer, but that those people (me, in her reference) had a very special place in heaven. I knew right then that she was wrong, and a light went off in my mind which helped me take action to make the changes I wanted to make for year.

    My husband. My soulmate. My person. He teaches me every day, but he taught me that trusting another is possible and that intimate love doesn’t have to come with strings attached.

    I could go on, as everyone we meet is a teacher 🙂

    Read More
  • Holly in Ohio
    This morning I think of my dad, who took me to his workshop with him and taught me how to work with wood and do practical things around the house like a little plumbing, painting, repairing, etc. He taught me not to be afraid to TRY. My mom, who taught me good baking and cooking. Much of it was farm-style, but what little girl gets taught how to make croissants? Thanks mom. You gave me a world of fun and good eats. Dr. Chester Bowling, who taught me organic farming, sustainability, unders...

    This morning I think of my dad, who took me to his workshop with him and taught me how to work with wood and do practical things around the house like a little plumbing, painting, repairing, etc. He taught me not to be afraid to TRY.

    My mom, who taught me good baking and cooking. Much of it was farm-style, but what little girl gets taught how to make croissants? Thanks mom. You gave me a world of fun and good eats.

    Dr. Chester Bowling, who taught me organic farming, sustainability, understanding the seasons and observation, who truly gave me the skill to grow my own food and be able to grow food for others. Who taught me much about civic duty, who led by example and who has given much to this community in co-operative initiatives.

    To Ruth Heiser, an elderly lady who used to volunteer at a place I worked so very long ago, who used to scold me if I put a glass jar in the trash… because it is she who gave me the gift of recycling before anyone else around here was, long before curbside recycling when we had to collect and transport to a center, who taught me to think of the world and generations to come, and who started me on the path to lighten my footprint. Thank you Ruth, you are missed.

    And yesterday I was using a gift given to me by Marco Wilkinson who used to work at one of the botanical gardens in NYC. Yesterday someone banged into a plum tree I hadn’t yet planted and broke part of it off. I took the broken piece inside, carefully trimmed parts away, rolled the little twigs in rooting hormone, and planted nine of them into two pots, where hopefully they will root, and give me some more plum trees.

    There are so many more. I will be thinking of more all day!

    Read More
  • Trish
    My dad is a retired ornithologist. He took me & my four siblings on countless “bird walks.” We learned how to respect nature, to be quiet if we wanted to see our forest friends & to appreciate the specific beauty of each bird. We camped, hiked, fished & planted trees (so many trees.) My father taught me to always be on the lookout for trash & pick it up to preserve the earth. Before we left a campsite we had to pick up ten items on the ground & throw it away. We had a...

    My dad is a retired ornithologist. He took me & my four siblings on countless “bird walks.” We learned how to respect nature, to be quiet if we wanted to see our forest friends & to appreciate the specific beauty of each bird.

    We camped, hiked, fished & planted trees (so many trees.) My father taught me to always be on the lookout for trash & pick it up to preserve the earth. Before we left a campsite we had to pick up ten items on the ground & throw it away. We had a family of seven so we were scouring the joint to get the last crumb sometimes! I still engage in this practice. Good stuff…❤️

    Read More

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