There comes a point in our lives when we stop and realize that each day that passes is rife with lessons. Life is educating some of us the hard way. Others have an easier time. The lessons start in childhood. Infants learn to walk by falling constantly. To master walking, they have to keep doing it over and over even if they get hurt. A small dose of loving assistance from parents does not hurt. It encourages them to continue trying.
As we grow older, the educational structure becomes more formal. We found ourselves falling under the guidance of professional teachers in preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school. Most of us still remember with fondness our favorite elementary or high school teachers.
They were our rock that made the passage through school unforgettable, bearable and fun. Yet, we are constantly reminded of our petty quarrels with friends, the heartbreaks, heartaches, and the wrong decisions we made along the way. We learned, by experiencing it, to distinguish the good from the bad. Through a flood of tears of joy or pain, we learned.
Who can forget one’s college and university days? The time when we judged ourselves to be mature enough to forge on with life and make a mark for ourselves. As we hark back on the good old days, we recall with gratitude the mentors we had who kept us on the straight and narrow path. Without mentors, there would be no bridges to cross.
Dana Gordon 