Friday 25 November 2011

A New Perspective

The door to my office is propped open
with a block of Icelandic lava
as soon as I arrive in the morning.

All day students and academics walk past
and I hear snatches of conversation
and gusts of laughter.
It is impossible to feel alone.

Today I heard the young Visiting Lecturer
talking to two students from his class
in the corridor outside my office.
He said "Why didn't you do it?
Were you afraid of making a mistake?
That is why we are here...
to make mistakes and learn from them.
Go away...be brave...make mistakes."


His words lingered in my mind all day.

13 comments:

  1. It's the being brave that's so difficult.

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  2. But trying to be brave is worth it...not crumbling down afterwards (from the mistake) is worth struggling through. Hindsight is valuable too.

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  3. it is hard to be brave but it seems that we often do not have a choice or at least we must keep choosing to be brave...

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  4. Wouldn't it be nice if the whole world had the same outlook as the young Visiting Lecturer. I agree with The List Writer - sometimes it's very hard to take the risk of making a mistake.

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  5. How very wise the Visiting Lecturer is.

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  6. I think perhaps I used to be brave. My courage seems to be failing with my eyesight - or perhaps it's just that having children has made me realise just how precious and fragile our happiness can be.

    I think I need to get more sleep.

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  7. that Visiting Lecturer knows his job. and his words : )

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  8. You have no idea how fitting this is for me.
    I MUST be brave and I am trying to find the strength but it's really hard for me now.

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  9. Someone once told me that there is really no such thing as a mistake. Or a coincidence.

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  10. Don't we all need to prop open the door of our comfort zone?

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  11. While I agree that it can be good to be out of our comfort zone, make mistakes and be brave sometimes, there is also a lot to be said for knowing when we can't go any further... which will probably make sense in the light of the blog post I've just written. Now I'm wondering if I'm just a coward?

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  12. What a sensible lecturer & what lovely autumnal colours...

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