Teacher in disguise
I watched the documentary Joni Mitchell — Lady Blue, about the artist behind one of my all-time favorite songs, Big Yellow Taxi.
One of the things she says is:
Pain is a teacher. One of the best, actually. It produces visions and insights.
She talks about how the illnesses she’s had to face have, in their own way, led to new qualities, new depths.
I think we’ve all been there. Every one of us has faced struggles in life. Even birth itself is a struggle, whether it’s the bursting of a bud or the birth of a human being.
They all have one thing in common:
They lead us forward.
It’s a struggle with a silver lining. It’s often hard to see when we’re right in the middle of it, but it’s there.
As Joni says, difficulties and challenges are some of the best teachers we have. We might not always be able to love our enemy, but every now and then, we can remember this simple truth:
What looks like an obstacle at first will, sooner or later, turn out to be a stepping stone.
A teacher in disguise.