Day 319 Question 319:

Would you rather teach or learn?

I love this question because I desire both of these things so much.  I believe everyone in this world is a teacher in some form whether they realize it or not.  I love to teach.  I love to share my experiences and thoughts with others and guide them in a manner that will hopefully enlighten them or help them find a good place in this life.  I always give the disclaimer of not knowing truth in anything so my teachings can be shared so others can follow if they choose….otherwise people lose their individuality and I find individuality to be very sacred.  With all of this being said, if I had to choose between teaching and learning I would have to choose to learn.  This world that we know of is enormous and there are learning opportunities around every tiny corner that we turn.  I also believe that as we learn we unknowingly teach just through simple conversations.  Once we share our experiences with others we are teaching them something they never know previously.  I have said for as long as I can remember that I would be a student for life if possible.  I have found that this is possible….the only difference is that my environments have become my classroom and the people around me have become my teachers.  Through this blog I have met people from India, Algeria, England, Australia, and several countries of the Middle East.  Just this morning a Facebook friend from Nigeria struck up a conversation with me on Facebook and she asked me questions about my life and the United States.  I learned from her that sex before marriage in her country was punishable by law but many people have sex in secret.  She told me that a person can be jailed if they were found guilty and I did not ask but I was curious about whether the punishment could possibly be more severe.  My curiosity peaked in wondering what their legal and judicial system was like.  I ache to always know more and I love finding knowledge through books and film but there is nothing more genuine than learning through personal experience and through the words of someone that lives a life completely different from all you have ever known.

I want to learn so I can hear the excitement and pride in a person’s voice.  I want to learn so I can feel like I am part of the story if even in the smallest way.  When I learn I appreciate my life more and see that life is so much more than what I have known…more than what is the norm to me.  I believe that when you take time to truly learn, you are able to see people differently and understand them differently.  Not one of us has the same story so when we take the opportunity to learn we may find reasons behind the things that have bothered us, annoyed us or peaked our curiosity.  We may find heartache in places we never thought possible and traditions and customs could be uncovered because we took the time to see them.