Today, I went for a run. Actually, it was more of a jog/walk. I prayed for a friend who is in the ICU after overdosing on pills. I prayed for a friend who is sitting in an Ecuadorian jail after being involved in a car accident that put a girl in a coma. I passed a healthy cornfield. I waved at the people in every passing vehicle and couldn’t keep from grinning at the fact that every driver waved back. I approached a field gushing with the bright hues of wildflowers. And in the field I noticed a few dancing butterflies. Rather than quickly thank God for the stunning planet we live on and continue on praying for “God only knows what,” I paused, staring at the butterflies. And I got an idea!
My idea was not a new, never thought of before, unique idea. In fact, I am sure each of us has been encouraged at some point by a teacher, parent, possibly even a stranger, to practice this idea. My idea was to observe and learn from nature in a different way than I ever had before. I have enjoyed many hours fishing and hunting, and have thereby experienced many hours observing and learning from nature. However, standing there mesmerized by the wildflowers and butterflies, I no longer wanted to study the natural world in order to simply experience success in a specific outdoor activity. I wanted to discover truths about life. And I wanted to do it through every single element of nature I could find.
My first teacher: the butterflies. My first lesson: To be social, to diversify, to be light on my feet, and to explore. As I continued on, jogging down a hilly country road, I realized there are countless teachers and countless lessons and each of us has an equal opportunity to enjoy and benefit from God’s classroom.
I arrived home about twenty minutes later excited to share my idea with CJ. While I described what happen on my run he made a sandwich. Then he tested me. He asked what I could learn from the ingredients on his sandwich, which included cheese, onion, and mustard. I answered him…and passed the exam! (I decided not to include my lessons from the sandwich ingredients, as I do not want to impose my perspectives on you, but rather allow you to make your own discoveries).
It has become a humbling and invigorating exercise to seek truth through observing nature. And probably the most exciting part is that I retain and implement the lessons, which unfortunately has not always been the case in other educational settings.
So what are some things around you that you can learn from? What are some ways that you as a parent, teacher, or even stranger can help people engage in self-directed learning?
Image from: http://paradise-butterflies-screensaver.smartcode.com/screenshot.html
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