See How They’ve Grown

That’s quite the feeling.

Starting off being a learner at the feet of a great master. Learning that particular trade and developing your own manner of doing it. From there establishing a reputation of your own beyond the shadow of your mentor. Then getting into your groove to such a degree that it attracts a few others who wish to be learners. Then you share with them what you gained from your mentor as well as what you developed yourself. They get to watch you in action and get insights from you that others wouldn’t get.

They start so young in the game as they come alongside you initially. They’re green and new to it all. They acknowledge your experience and expertise. It reminds you of how you started and was just eager to learn. Then you give them an opportunity to practice for themselves. As they do so, you recognise those sparks of unique personality traits that will make their delivery of the craft their own. Sure they make their mistakes and they can learn from that. It’s all the more exciting to see where they could branch off and do something innovative on their own.

Then like yourself, they develop their own thing and from time to time you get to see how they’ve grown. And it’s beautiful. Doing their own thing. In their own way. Having an impact all their own and remaining humble to still learn and grow further. And as you watch them, you pick up a few things that informs your own work and you’re even pleased at that too. Never too advanced, never too learned, never too big to keep studying and getting better from others, even those who you used to teach.

You see how they’ve grown. And may even get to see them attract a few others who want to learn from them. And now there are four generations from your mentor to their pupils growing in learning, growing in knowing, growing in showing and sharing.

That’s quite the feeling.

(Photo by Taylor Wilcox on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden