I had the privilege this evening to attend a dinner celebrating the work of someone who did so much for others. I had never heard of this woman before tonight. After hearing her speak, I will never forget her.
To look at her you would see an attractive, modest woman. Listening to her, you would be amazed at how simply she communicated a powerful message. That message inspired me. It greatly inspired me.
Honestly I'm not even sure of all the things she has accomplished. What I do know is she learned early on to look at people as they are and truly see them. When she truly saw others as they are, regardless of age, religion, ethnicity, then she truly cared about helping them be their best. Even as she stood there and spoke, she had such gracious words for so many people who inspired and supported her along the way.
Education was the best way she could help them reach their full potential.
Education is a powerful thing. It is even more so when we look outside our typical box of what education looks like. It is not always a degree (yes, I have two but there is SO much more to learning than that). It is not always a high paying job as a result. It is not a lot of recognition. It is not impressing others with big words or long answers. It is never about making others feel less than you.
It is all the opposite. Well education may lead to degrees, a high paying job and the opportunity to use large words and provide long answers. It may even lead to recognition. Yet education is never just about us.
All through my studies I had a tremendous sense of honour to be learning at higher levels and even more so responsibility. I felt I had a responsibility to use what I learned to help others who might not have a chance to study as I did. In college, and later seminary, I felt the need to learn as much as I could and as diligently as I could so it would benefit others. What I learned was not just for me. It was for as many others as I could share it with.
And then I stopped. I stopped learning. Life came along and changed. It shifted. A mortgage. A car payment. Unemployment (yes, after buying the house). Graduating and losing my biggest cheerleader, my advisor in Seminary. Well we keep in touch and he is my 'friend' on Facebook. But I lost the luxury of being able to meet with him. He is a wise, caring man who sees his students not only as they are but as they could be. (He often comments on my blog posts and I hope he reads this one too and sees even slightly how much he has influenced me, inspired me and encouraged me when few others did.)
I had to 'retreat' a bit from life to recover from some of the things that really knocked me down. Yet there is always learning. Because there are some things all the books in the world cannot teach. Life. It happens. Sometimes it is good. Sometimes great. Sometimes hard. Sometimes wearing. Sometimes it takes everything in us just to get through the day.
I was reminded of my desire to share my learning with others. I want to inspire others to learn along their own journeys.
Through it all we should never stop learning though because when we are learning, we are truly living.
To look at her you would see an attractive, modest woman. Listening to her, you would be amazed at how simply she communicated a powerful message. That message inspired me. It greatly inspired me.
Honestly I'm not even sure of all the things she has accomplished. What I do know is she learned early on to look at people as they are and truly see them. When she truly saw others as they are, regardless of age, religion, ethnicity, then she truly cared about helping them be their best. Even as she stood there and spoke, she had such gracious words for so many people who inspired and supported her along the way.
Education was the best way she could help them reach their full potential.
Education is a powerful thing. It is even more so when we look outside our typical box of what education looks like. It is not always a degree (yes, I have two but there is SO much more to learning than that). It is not always a high paying job as a result. It is not a lot of recognition. It is not impressing others with big words or long answers. It is never about making others feel less than you.
It is all the opposite. Well education may lead to degrees, a high paying job and the opportunity to use large words and provide long answers. It may even lead to recognition. Yet education is never just about us.
All through my studies I had a tremendous sense of honour to be learning at higher levels and even more so responsibility. I felt I had a responsibility to use what I learned to help others who might not have a chance to study as I did. In college, and later seminary, I felt the need to learn as much as I could and as diligently as I could so it would benefit others. What I learned was not just for me. It was for as many others as I could share it with.
And then I stopped. I stopped learning. Life came along and changed. It shifted. A mortgage. A car payment. Unemployment (yes, after buying the house). Graduating and losing my biggest cheerleader, my advisor in Seminary. Well we keep in touch and he is my 'friend' on Facebook. But I lost the luxury of being able to meet with him. He is a wise, caring man who sees his students not only as they are but as they could be. (He often comments on my blog posts and I hope he reads this one too and sees even slightly how much he has influenced me, inspired me and encouraged me when few others did.)
I had to 'retreat' a bit from life to recover from some of the things that really knocked me down. Yet there is always learning. Because there are some things all the books in the world cannot teach. Life. It happens. Sometimes it is good. Sometimes great. Sometimes hard. Sometimes wearing. Sometimes it takes everything in us just to get through the day.
I was reminded of my desire to share my learning with others. I want to inspire others to learn along their own journeys.
Through it all we should never stop learning though because when we are learning, we are truly living.
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