“That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all your life, but in a new way.” – Doris Lessing
The other day I went to help four-year-old Mr. D with his shoes, and he said, “I can do it. I’m an es-pert!”
It reminded me of a story I had just re-read in Mark Nepo’s Book of Awakening. He credits it to Leroy Little Bear:
“Two scientists traveled halfway round the world to ask a Hindu sage what he thought about their theories. When they arrived, he kindly brought them into his garden and poured them tea. Though the two small cups were full, the sage kept pouring.
Tea kept overflowing and the scientists politely but awkwardly said, ‘Your holiness, the cups can hold no more.’
The sage stopped pouring and said, ‘Your minds are like the cups. You know too much. Empty your minds and come back. Then we’ll talk.’”
Leroy Little Bear
This is my invitation when I think I know something, to stop, empty my mind, and fill my heart.
I went to the memorial service of the father of one of my childhood friends this weekend. He was a psychologist by vocation and long before I knew what that was, I understood that he had a healing presence.
One of the phrases that stuck out to me in the eulogies was one from his grandson. He said that this man “led by listening.” Ah yes, that’s it exactly.
Which brings me back to my four-year-old es-pert at shoes. I am so grateful for his help with the routine by getting his own shoes on. But anytime I’m feeling expert at anything, I remember that most of the time Mr. D, the es-pert, wears his shoes on the wrong feet. There’s always room for more listening and more learning.
For more about lifelong learning, please see my Heart of the Matter Post: Learning the Easy Way or the Hard Way
(featured photo from Pexels)
(quote from Reflections on Learning on the Real Life of an MSW blog)