A teacher is not always the one who stands in front of a class or delivers a lecture in an institutional setup. Sometimes, a teacher may not even be a person. Sage Dattātreya spoke of how he gained wisdom from 24 Gurus — among them a pigeon, a moth, the courtesan Pingalā, a child, a maid, an arrow-maker, a snake, a spider, the ocean, the air, the sun, fire, water and many others. His realization was that lessons can come from anywhere.
Likewise, teachers are all around us — not just confined to a persona, but also present in texts, words, experiences, and even through what our relationships teach us about ourselves. At times we learn from our children, at times teachers learn from their students, and always, we learn from one another. Even an enemy can be a teacher, reminding us why we must not give up and keeping us alert on our path.
On this occasion, I bow with gratitude and wish a Happy Teachers’ Day to my teachers — and to everything and everyone that has helped me move from darkness towards light.
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