A 'Good' Teacher

One raised her head...and then - the other. One looked to the far and distant east...while the other looked westward. One turned her head to the right...the other to the left. One lifted her eyes to the sky...and the other lowered them.

Until they both stopped - staring....gazing...focused. Not a twitch or a muscle moving.

For a moment - I was sure they were posing just for me. I marveled at all these years of practice..and my cultivated ability to commune with nature. I thought - maybe? - that they were actually hearing my wordless directions...and performing. As if - on perfect cue.

And then - it occurred to me. A 'good' photographer gets her subjects to pose for her. She sets the scene. She orchestrates the lighting. She carefully architects and designs that final image.

But - a 'good' teacher? A 'good' teacher is someone other. A 'good' teacher holds silent space for her students..so that they may discover that comfortable pose for themselves. She bears witness. She supports. She allows. She mirrors and reflects. She encouragesand guides her students to see and hear and taste for themselves...and to feel. Always - beginning with that all-important 'feeling'.

To that - I concluded - it's not the photographer that informs and decides. In the end - this all comes from the teacher inside.

Some days - it's me who finds them - those lessons that await. Other days - it's they who find me. All I need to do is to show up...and look...and always listen.