An adult robin pecked and clawed energetically at a spot in the flower bed. Quickly it jumped away. An adolescent robin with mottled breast not grown yet into the resplendent burnt orange had been watching. It went to the spot, repeated what it saw, spotted a bug or a worm, grabbed the meal and ate.
Similarly, when someone asks me for help with a computing device, I put the mouse, keyboard, or other input into their hands and guide them toward a solution. They develop the muscle memory for the solution. They will know what to do the next time.
Thus we learn.
Maybe our teacher/mentor sits in the same room. Maybe the teacher lived 2,000 or even 3,000 years ago. We see, we listen, we read. Then we repeat. Sometimes we repeat many times until we have thoroughly brought it into our life.
Awareness helps. Many times in my life I didn’t realize I had a mentor until much later. Often I didn’t know how to ask for more. Other times I have sought out mentors both in the room and in a book. They have taught much and deeply.
I appreciate each and every one. My life is richer. Both for the teaching and the practice.
Faith Venture 
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