Over the past several years I’ve become mindful of many ways that life helps us develop into something more than we imagined was possible. One way that life does this, which so many neglect to notice, is by sending us everyday gurus. These are interesting people of all ages, not necessarily famous people, or rich or highly successful people, but very ordinary people who offer wonderful opportunities for us to learn something new about life and ourselves.
It may be the clerk at the grocery store, the driver who slows down to allow you to merge into heavy traffic, the child playing joyfully in the park, or the elderly lady at the coffee shop who strikes up a brief conversation while waiting in line with you. Everyday, unassuming gurus show up in our space, offering life lessons that can help us get over our shortcoming. I call this, “The Power of Everyday Gurus.” This doesn’t mean that they have you bursting into song; it means that they, often without realizing it, offer you an understanding or insight that helps you improve your life.
The secret to recognizing these everyday gurus is to slow down and pay a little more attention to everyone you encounter. Simply notice someone for a few moments longer, listen a little more intently, or ask a question that you’d not ordinarily ask. You’re seeking to see what was unseeable because you were in too big a hurry. You may discover what you need to know to aspire higher and overcome problems that you’ve been struggling with.
Age doesn’t equal wisdom when it comes to everyday gurus. Be willing to look beyond the surface; notice how others express themselves in ways that would be wise for you to incorporate in your personality. A small child, sticky with grape popsicle dripping all over the front of her pretty dress, taught me the freedom of dropping my million rules, being in the moment, fully engaging in life and dancing to my own drumbeat. I’ve learned to lighten up a lot because of her. Angels fly because they take life lightly—she was an unassuming guru and an angel.
When you recognize that every ordinary person is extraordinary in his or her own unique way, you naturally become more mindful, you become more deliberate with your interactions with others; you take time to notice people because you never know when the next guru will appear to teach you what you need to learn next. No more hurrying through our day with eyes half closed—if there’s a lesson available, you want to know.
It’s been written that the American industrialist Andrew Carnegie once said that nearly every day, he encountered someone who offered him a valuable learning experience. When his mother died, he explained that he met a clerk in a cigar store who taught him, “life goes on,” which was exactly what he needed to hear in that glum moment.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to look at others with curious eyes rather than the humdrum perspective that most people take. There are areas in your life where you’re not feeling fully alive, and there are folks out there who can help offer you a tip or two with that. You never know the next guru that you’re going to meet.
The daily experiences that affect us most memorably are when ordinary folks, casually crossing our paths, leave a life-changing impression as they go on their way.
Read THE GURU SEARCH: Do we really need a spiritual teacher? for more>>
[su_panel background=”#f2f2f2″ color=”#000000″ border=”0px none #ffffff” shadow=”0px 0px 0px #ffffff”]Rob White is a philosopher, storyteller, inspirational speaker and author of And Then I Met Margaret, 180: A Guide to Achieving “Inner Strength and Outer Freedom, and A Second Chance at Success: Remarkably Simple Ways to Open Your Life to Opportunities and Turn Past Mistakes Into Lasting Confidence, Happiness and Success. Rob is regularly featured in the Huffington Post and his unique articles are published in dozens of print and online publications. To learn more, visit his website or click here to buy his published works.
image: David Niblack
