Have you thanked your teacher?

Years ago, as I was grumbling (yet again) about someone, a wise woman had both an assertion and a question for me: “She’s your teacher. Have you thanked her?” She wasn't referring to our traditional teachers (although thanking them again and again is a great idea...have you been in a classroom lately?). She was referring to those people in our lives that we don't like, or that annoy us, or that bring up uncomfortable or even scary feelings inside of us. Her question completely shifted my attention away from being a victim of someone else’s actions toward being curious about how this person was expanding my life in some way. Being thankful in these times can ease the resistance. Easing the resistance can create a bigger space inside of us where understanding, integration, and maybe even transformation become possible.