I had 2 revelations last night during our Spanish conversation group.
Revelation #1 – Detach
We are all at different levels of experience with learning the Spanish language, and we all learn in different ways. Some of us know very little Spanish, others are intermediate through many years of study and practice, and still others are native Spanish speakers. We will never be able to manufacture a scenario whereby we all learn in the same way AND all have the same Spanish language proficiency. So, don’t worry about it! No te preocupes.
Don’t compare yourself with anyone else, and don’t worry about where you are right now in your language learning. Just enjoy the group, and learn what you will.
Y’all probably already knew that, and if you were not so kind you might be thinking something like “Thank you Captain Obvious.” Okay then, let’s move on to the next revelation.
Revelation #2 – That Out-of-Body Feeling
Last night I almost felt like I was having an out-of-body experience (notice I said “almost”). As I sat there listening to the conversation in Spanish, I understood most of what was being said, and even though I was participating, I felt more like an observer of the whole scene while thinking, “Is this really me?” and, “Is this really happening?” Then I said to myself, “Yes this is me, yes this is really happening, yes I am enjoying it, and yes I am going to stay right here in this flow.”
Scary, eh?
In all seriousness – and I will say this in the first person so that I don’t come across as speaking to (or for) anyone else – it is wise to accept what the Universe gives me, and equally wise to position myself in the slipstream of the Universe while yielding to where the Universe wants to take me.
(Universe with a capital “U” is God as I know God, but I use the term Universe out of respect for my friends and readers who may not share my perspective).
I am always amazed at each of the serendipitous moments in life (or maybe the serendipity in all of life) made manifest in the smallest chance, amazed at how a tiny chance can become reality and impact my life (1) in that moment only, or (2) for the rest of my life. And several of those serendipitous moments conspired together to spawn our group Sólo en Español.
So anyway, I don’t quite know what to make of this little “grupo” we got going on Tuesday nights, but I’m having fun with it and going with the flow.
We had 3 native Spanish speakers there last night, and there were 4 of us learners. That’s at least twice as many people as we had last week! We are growing at an incredible rate! Who knows, at the rate we are growing we could start a New World Order, and a benevolent one at that!