The Teacher’s in the Room

My favorite song on my favorite running playlist is Have a Little Faith by Michael Franti. It comes up about 2/3rds of the way through my run … right about when I need a little faith to keep going!

I’ve been running to this playlist for at least three years, listen to it at least once a week – sometimes more – and would have sworn I knew all the words.

At least I’d have thought so after 150+ plays!

But a few days ago, my huff-huff, puff-puff consciousness was penetrated by words that didn’t sound familiar:

And when the hard times come
You know the teacher’s in the room

I might have missed those words in the song, but that truth has shown up in my life over and over again.

The teacher was in the room when my best friend died 19 years ago and through the process of being with him his last few months.

The teacher was there in a difficult work situation early in my career and then mid-career when I said, “No” to something in conflict with my values even though I thought I might be fired. (I wasn’t.)

And the teacher’s been there a million times through the “ordinary” challenges that just come with life.

You can always count on the teacher showing up … what we choose to do with the learning opportunity is up to us.