The Student Has Become The Teacher

One thing I've realized recently is the importance of having a personal life. If we really want to have a dream job, we need to have a dream life, and no life is complete with a good job alone. We need things that really matter like family, friends, and spirituality. We really are nothing if we don't somehow connect ourselves to this world we live in. That's what I love about my life. I've discovered how we can find real happiness in balance between work, family, recreation, and spirituality or religion (which I argue is one when religion is honestly lived). So many people go through this life in a furious pursuit of goals and accomplishments and what they leave behind is a path of destruction. They are in such a rush that they literally forget to stop and smell the roses. Sure you can do a lot when you're constantly working, but what for? What are you really even doing that actually makes a difference? Yesterday I was taking a taxi home from the LDS temple in Lima and my taxi driver turned to me and said, "boy, you just radiate peace!" I just laughed and said "thanks, I try." He then shared with me how most people in taxis are constantly angry and urging him to run red lights and cut off people  so they can get to where they need to go. Let's just stop and smell the roses for a second, people!
Well now I should perhaps explain the title to this post. I actually am a teacher now at the Lima Institute of Religion. I teach the Book of Mormon in English to locals in BYU-Idaho's Pathway program. After successfully completing this one-year program, students are then eligible to take BYU-Idaho classes online. It's crazy popular here! Last week I had 109 people  show up for my class. While I was scared to death and kind of lost control of the huge class at a few different moments, I love the experience. I feel that I've experienced a lot lately and now I have a chance to share what I've learned in a classroom setting. I've always wanted to teach but I've rarely had the opportunity. I want to now have that power to influence people and just say that you can be whatever you want to be and I fully support you in your endeavors. I feel like I was always made fun of by my teachers because I said weird things and always wanted to have fun. I told my class this and they laughed. In my classroom, anything is possible. In my classroom, you can be yourself.
This opportunity to teach is only helping me in my professional goals. I have something else now to look forward to besides my work opportunities. Teaching is a hard skill but when mastered, it is so useful! My hope is to become a master teacher and be fearless in front of large classrooms. Fear and doubt. Those guys suck. I don't want to listen to them anymore.