“You should teach what you’re learning with your sabbatical to others,” my friend told me.
My friend is a respected leader. She teaches all the time. It’s a habit for her. I replied:
- I might end up doing that, but for now, I’m doing this for me. I am very careful about keeping the process pure. If I make it what I’m doing for others, it could taint the discovery process for me. I need to see my own world through my own eyes and drop my habit of turning everything into a teaching point.
It’s tough for me to explain how transformational backing away from the teacherly role has been. And how seductive the desire to teach can be.
It’s tough for me to not get caught in wanting to teach my friend what a difference it makes to break the habit of always being the teacher.
I shared my observations and sat back and let her teach me. I’m learning a lot these days.
