When I was growing up, I thought that school was where I would learn everything about life. The many notes, tests, and exams I was running around for in school made me think that whatever I needed to succeed in life would be learned in school, but I was wrong.
Reality came knocking as life kept unfolding stage by stage of my life, and I realized that not all important life lessons are learned in school. A lot is learned through our experiences, through our mistakes, through certain actions displayed by fellow humans, and more.
Indeed, life has been a great teacher, and so far, one of the lessons life has taught me is patience.Take for instance during my school, everything I did back then was structured with time. There was time for lectures, quizzes, examinations, and results, but in real life, it's a different ball game. Things don't always work when I expect them to. A lot of times, I put in effort, expecting results at some point, but no show. I will pray and wait on God; that's patience, which no formula taught me.
I have had times dealing with a friend with terrible character, but patience was what I applied relating to her as she unfolds her actions more often. What about the health challenge of my son? Doing all of the doctor's instructions without tangible results can be tiring, but in all, patience is what I learned in a way that no teacher would have taught me better. I keep hoping and trusting God for a change. Showing up regularly with my routine hasn't been easy, but with patience and the right attitude,
Another vital thing life taught me is love in action. The kind that makes me go out of my comfort zone to sacrifice a lot and see that those around me are okay. Practically as a wife and mom, I have come to realize that love is tolerance, love is forgiveness, love is sacrifice, and much more than a mere "I love you." No, it goes beyond that, and all was practically learned, not taught in school.
Finally, life taught me to carefully control my emotions. Seeing how my quick reactions at times cost my peace and happiness, I learned the hard way to control my emotions, be slow to act instead, and choose my words to avoid allowing things to escalate.
There are many things life so far has taught me that aren't in any school curriculum, and I can say, "Yes, life indeed is a great teacher."
