“The teacher has failed more times than the student has even tried…” (Soham Rout)
I regularly have to be reminded that to be a good teacher/mentor/guide for another in this world that I must also become a student at times, and sometimes to the very student I’m working with, something that always seems to go against the grain of my ego.
A few months ago, I was given the gift to begin helping a young fraternity brother in a role that placed me as their teacher and a big brother of sorts. Over the time that has elapsed ever since, I have used many of the spiritual gifts and lessons that God has grown within me to help this individual. It’s been rewarding on a level that’s gone far beyond anything I’ve ever experienced in any of my previous sponsorships and mentorships. As this new bond has grown deeper and trust been gained further, I’ve noticed something else has also been increasing in my work with this individual and that’s my ego.
I have battled my ego quite a bit over all the years I’ve been doing my 12 Step recovery work that’s led to the guidance of many others, always falling into the belief that I’m 100% fully equipped to handle anything that comes my way. Except that’s not necessarily always been the case. Time and time again just when I begin to believe that very lie once more, I find myself having to be humbled by the very students I’m working with, like I was just recently with this fraternity brother I’ve been helping who had to help me instead when my anger got out of control and the best of me.
I think it becomes very humbling to the ego when a student ends up guiding their teacher out of the darkness of any situation. In the most recent example of this, the one where my anger got the best of me, it required the help from someone I thought would always be me guiding them, where instead they helped me to see things from a totally different perspective. He truly flipped the script, which honestly led to me beating myself up a little bit, believing I should have been equipped enough to handle it far better. But as this wise student gently reminded me, some of the best teachers in the world have failed more times than their student have ever tried, and that alone might just be the very wisest of words I’ve ever been given from any student I’ve ever had.
Sometimes the teacher must fail again and again only to be reminded it’s ok by their very students, something that’s not only empowering for them, but just as empowering for the teacher as well, having to be reminded they don’t know it all. Life truly is one great lesson where teachers become their students and students become their teachers, as both grow closer to Source along the way…
God help me to always remember that some of the very students You will guide me to teach and work with may also become some of the best teachers for me to learn from along the way on my path to grow closer to You…
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
