Always a student

Today I had the pleasure of rowing in the quad with my friend Lydia and teammates Jodi and Marta. I stroked and Lydia bowed. This means that Lydia steered, coxed, coached, encouraged, and laughed almost as much as I did. I simply tried to keep a steady cadence for the boat. We all four had a great time.

As we were racing along in the ferry channel, and Lydia was calling out helpful comments, I was giving thanks for Lydia's commitment to always being a student of the sport of rowing. She was far and away the best rower in the boat, and partly because she always tries to improve her own technique, she commands a lot of respect from those of us who are not as skilled. She can help us without sounding bossy, arrogant or any of those other unpleasant words one might think to use. She can do this, and we can accept and appreciate it, because we know she is working at the time on herself.

What a virtue, to be always a student of that which we are trying to perfect. There's a humility in that which opens up amazing possibilities for the rest of us. It's something I aspire to do. In my understanding of the spiritual life, for example. What better way to be in conversation with God and about God than to admit that we don't get it right all that often and we can always be seeking a new, different, transformed way. We can always be the student of our teacher.

I realize that this is also what I am trying to actively do with my photography. I have been a photographer since age seven and hope to be until my dying breath. I am also trying to make the leap from film to digital, and had great conversations this week with BB about the art form and the processing end of things. I need to be an active student right now, since I am fumbling around not really understanding the leap I have made. Conversation helps. A class at the College of Marin will help. Making photographs will help. Practice, practice, practice helps. Thank you, Lydia, for your inspiration this morning!