My Teachers Poem by Jim Yerman

There is a wise old saying…an ancient Chinese gem:
When three people walk together my teacher is among them.

We had a simple dinner with some friends and the first thing I was taught
was if you listen but a little…you're bound to learn a lot..

I learned a lot about sadness
sadness that our basic foundation seems destined to destroy…
I learned if we are ever to survive that sadnesses
we must discover joy.

I learned a lot about how the sadness of a natural disaster,
of divorce
of sickness
of wars that never seem to end
can be offset by the joy that floats around a table
filled with family and friends.

I learned in the midst of a sad world
there is more joy than one might think
as I watched the laughter, support and wisdom
of people sharing food and drink.

As luck would have it other friends came into the restaurant
It was like a holiday!
They were celebrating their 5th grandchild…
born earlier that day.

I learned although weakness can come from sadness,
meant to injure, to bruise…to annoy
our courage, our determination…our strength
comes from our faith, our love…our joy.

I learned this simple lesson which I will from this day forward now employ….
I shall not close my eyes to sadness
but I shall open them more…to joy…

Any ancient Chinese scholar sitting in that restaurant would have smiled…
It would have been easy for he…or she…to see
there was more than one teacher in that room that night…
In truth…they were surrounding me.