Counting Blessings, and Learning through Friendship

This time, I am responding to some of the questions Dave Cormier posed for Week 2 of #Rhizo15:

What can we measure that isn’t learning?
Think about all the other facets of the human experience… can we do better?
Is there a better way of looking at it?

One of my friends–and teachers–is a day laborer from Mexico. I learn a lot when I stop to talk to him on the way to the college where I work. What started with friendly greetings and an opportunity to practice my rusty Spanish has grown into near-daily inspiration.

These are some of the blessings he counted for me this morning:
– It is a beautiful day. No matter the weather, it is brightened by smiles and conversation.
– I am waiting to see if there will be work. God takes care of me.
– I have nothing. When I do have something, and somebody needs it, there it is.

Here are some of the blessings I count in that friendship:
– I measure my friend’s gratitude for the simple things in life as greater than my own. His sense of possibility is an example that helps to shift my own perspective.
– His patience with my intermediate Spanish enables connection and sharing of ideas, as well as development of my language skills.
– My effort to find the words to express myself, within a limited vocabulary, increases my empathy for others who have limitations to communication.
– Same as #1 in my friend’s list.