My 13-year old daughter says I'm a nerd. I'm not even sure what the technical definition of a nerd is, but if she says I am one, it must be a pretty good thing. Afterall, I would rather have her think of me as a nerd than, say, a hopeless bum or an idiot. Right?
I asked her why she says I'm a nerd and she says it's because I study and analyze everything. Well, I guess that's what nerds do. I always thought they wore square, black-framed glasses and walked around with books in their hands. I never did that, not even in junior high school. But, whatever. The point is that she recognizes that I "study and analyze everything". You think she's gonna grow up studying and analyzing? If I was a betting man, I would take even money that she will.
Who am I kidding? She already does. The other night, I asked her how school was going and she started talking about DNA. I asked her to tell me about DNA, and geez, did that ever set off an avalanche. "There's SO much I can teach you about DNA! It's fantastic". Ohhhh K. And I'm a nerd.
What amazed me the most about her ensuing fifteen minute elucidation on DNA was that just a couple of days earlier I was enthusiastically telling her how fantastic biology is.
This thing we have called the the human body and its inner workings and mechanisms are incredible. From nutrition to the causes of diabetes, from dopamine and neuro-transmitters to the frontal cortex, biology, especially the study of the human body, is utterly fascinating, at least it is to me. Of course, when I tried to tell her how great biology is, she rolled her eyes and asked me if she could go text her friends.
So, yeah, having her teach me about polymers and nucleotides was both interesting and wonder-some. It was interesting in that I previously had no idea what she was talking about and wonder-some because I saw that no matter how strong her protestations and denials, I am unquestionably rubbing off on her. I saw her enthusiasm, her drive, her interest, her focus, and a huge hint of her desire to impart her knowledge upon others.
In everything that I teach others, I always tell them there is a price to pay. And that price is that they have to teach others. We learn and we teach. This makes us stronger. This makes us whole.
And so, I have arrived at the point of this post: when you hop on the bus of El Entrenador, you are bound and committed by two things: you must learn and you must teach. Now, I don't say this because it is some requirement of life or some "golden rule". I say this because the whole point of you getting aboard my bus is so that you can grow and enrich your life. Remember, the bus of El Entrenador is about making you happier, making you better, making you complete. It is about helping you get up in the morning and having you hop into the shower thinking, "Oh, wow! I can't wait to get out of shower and take on today's challenges!" It is about the enthusiasm we all want in our lives. It is about LIVING.
So never forget this guidance: LEARN and TEACH. LEARN and TEACH. It will make you happy! It will make you whole.
And if your student happens to call you a nerd, you know you've done your job.
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