You know those times when nothing seems to be working out as planned, but in hindsight, the upheaval in your schedule provided opportunities that never would have existed otherwise?

This past Friday was one of those serendipitous days for me.

A personal teacher/mentor kind-of-friend cancelled our 6 o'clock dinner plans at 5:57.  I attempted to mask my annoyance, trying to ignore the fact that I had turned down a more enticing invitation in order to keep this dinner commitment.  "Stuck" with nothing to do, I found myself roaming around the grocery store, gathering the building blocks for my dinner.

Long story short, a fellow shopper and I struck up casual conversation.  My evening veered in a totally unexpected direction as a result.  In a matter of minutes, I was surrounded by a group of welcoming, creative, and supportive strangers. 

What I had thought was going to be an intense one-on-one personal growth experience with my teacher transformed into a super-fun, unpredictable fiesta of new friends.

And here's the magical part...

Ultimately, the outcome of my revised evening was indeed an intense personal growth experience - presented to me in a form I never could have imagined. 

A simple insight struck me on Monday: The teachers surfaced quickly from within that group of new faces.  Was it because I had been expecting to be taught that night and therefore was open to it?  

Anyone can be my teacher... if I let them.  Suddenly, I find myself surrounded by teachers, but most had no way of impacting me because I had not been open to it.  I thought I knew what the teacher-student model was supposed to look like - and boy, have I been missing out!

Others make observations about me I never could; the value of truly hearing these observations is immeasurable.  Because I allowed myself to listen instead of talk, to understand instead of seek to be understood - for just a matter of moments - my life now has new energy and possibility.

Today, seek to be taught.  Experiment with the idea that every single being with whom you come into contact has something to teach you.  And tonight, take a moment to reflect on what you learned... and share with us!

Happy growing to all of us! 

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