Teacher in disguise
I watched the documentary Joni Mitchell — Lady Blue, the artist behind one of my all-time favorite songs, Big Yellow Taxi.
One of the things she mentions is:
Pain is a teacher. One of the best, actually. It produces visions and insights.
She then talks about how the natural progression of the illnesses she had to fight all led to new qualities.
I, and everyone else reading this text, have all had struggles in our lives. Even birth is a struggle, whether it's the bursting of a bud or the birth of a human being.
They all have one thing in common:
They lead us forward.
It's a struggle with a silver lining. It's often difficult to see when we're in the middle of it, but it's there.
As Joni mentions, difficulties and challenges are some of the best teachers we have. We may not be able to "love our enemy," but every once in a while we can remember the universal truth:
What looks like an obstacle at first glance will, sooner or later, turn out to be a stepping stone.
It's a teacher in disguise.