A Glimmer to Grow

Although I was thinking it was time to post further reflections on Burma, I find this the perfect time to do so, given the headlines this week. The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader in democracy Aung San Suu Kyi was very recently released from an extensive sentence of house arrest. Although again, politics was the issue I focused upon the least and still know very little about, it is still a step of hope for the country of Burma- it is the little steps that matter.

I remember driving on our bus around the city of Yangon and passing the lake on which Aung San Suu Kyi lives. Soon after, we passed the street where her house is located, however did not venture down the street given the presence of military. Still -the area is a snapshot in my mind, a memory of a place where we were.

I do not know if others do this, but I find myself thinking quite often of places I’ve been, people I’ve met, and even though I am somewhere else, perhaps far away, I find myself thinking of what is happening there now in the present time. I think of the area by the lake, the presence that seemed to hang in the air- the proximity to an issue that covered the news throughout the world. I wonder what is happening there now- has the military truly disappeared? Are there crowds of people thronging the streets- even by the lake on the main road? Is there celebrating still- even days later? Is Aung San Suu Kyi out on the streets greeting people or enjoying the freedom of being outside? I think of the atmosphere in the city and in the country as a whole. I think of what it must be like living there now- perhaps a glimmer of hope for a brighter future. I wonder what goes through Suu Kyi’s mind, where she will even begin in the work for her country.

Some reading this may wonder of the purpose of these reflections, but I think that somehow they are beneficial. Somehow in wondering these things, and contemplating what may or may not be happening, one opens oneself to another’s experience- puts oneself in another’s shoes. We may not know what it is like to live in a country like Burma during a time such as this, but it does not mean that we cannot learn from it, and become better citizens to our own community, and our own world.

A Daunting Art

One always hears about the “art of teaching.” As an artist, I like to think of teaching in this way, comparing it to the creative process I feel when choreographing a dance, learning a piece of music, or designing a new show. While one may not give much thought to teaching as an “art”, I have found that this is a truthful term- to be a truly great and effective teacher, one must know what to do and when to do it, what to say and when to say it. As is true with any art, it takes many years to develop into an artist, practicing and perfecting the art until one is truly adept. The difference from other arts though is that when you are learning to dance, it does not matter how good you may be- even if you make numerous mistakes in a performance, the only one to whom it truly matters is yourself. It is up to you to take those mistakes and use them to become a better dancer. The same is true with teaching- every teacher makes mistakes, and hopefully we use them to improve our teaching. The difference with teaching is that even when you are still learning, even when you are only a beginner, what you do matters anyway. Your students are depending on you to teach them- whether or not you have yet perfected the art, you still make a difference. It’s a daunting task.