New Perspective

I've been contemplating and becoming more aware of the idea that the process of learning is far more valuable than the outcome. This means to me that our failures hold value as much as our successes hold value. The point isn't necessairily to reach an expected end or destination or desirable outcome. The point is the process, the learning, the journey. Each failure is an opportunity to learn, to grow. If I can embrace the pain of failure, I embrace my humanity and depend on one who is greater. This seems to be a theme surfacing over and over lately...in different parts of my life.

For instance, in teaching math to struggling students, I am constantly challenged to come up with a new way of explaining 2+2=4. The challenge for me is being perceptive and aware of each students abilities and struggles in order to come up with a way to explain or teach or help them experience a new concept. This year, I worked with Dr. Penry, a wonderful woman, who taught me a few things about learning. She taught me that learning takes place in 3 stages. First is the concrete, then representational, then abstract. First children need to play with manipulatives and put two blocks together with two blocks and see that it makes four (concrete). Then they draw pictures in their notebooks of two blocks with two blocks and see that is four (representational). Finally, we use the abstract symbols 2+2=4 and likely understand what they mean because we've already experienced it. Often when we are struggling with a concept, one of these stages was missed in our learning process. At each stage, the students are practicing the new concept and likely along the way, it was trial and error. Each situation that didn't work gave new insights to find what might work.

Yoga is the same way. The pose isn't the point. It's becoming aware of our breathing and our abilities and challenges to the pose and working with and within our limitations. It's being and centering in the moment.

It also seems I am relating this idea to my own life journey as a Christian. The purpose of this journey we are on is to become like Christ. To know Him. I come to the world mostly ignorant of this and life is sorting it out (with guidance from the Holy Spirit). Sanctification or working out my salvation takes t-i-m-e and trial and error and mistakes and failures and lack of understanding and despair and loneliness and discipline and learning to take responsibility and it also includes moments of clarity, growth, and new trust.

The process is O.K.