Ms. Enlightenment is My Favorite Teacher

Written by Ima Insecure

Class! Class! Enough is enough!

Ms. Enlightenment raises her voice at the classroom full of students failing to get their attention. One student, in particular, sits off in the corner, staring out the window. The teacher thinks to herself, Ima Insecure is daydreaming again. What’s up with that girl?

Ms. En, as the students lovingly refer to her, continues today’s lesson.

Class — I want each of you to write down the three components of mindfulness that we learned last week. As a reminder, they are:

1. awareness-also referred to as focused attention.

2. Be in the present moment.

3. No judgment.

“Today’s assignment is to write a story with what you can do to start living within those three areas. Your assignment is due at the end of class. You may begin.”

The students all begin to write their stories, except Ima Insecure. Ima’s shoulders are slumped, a dazed look in her eyes, still staring out the window.

Ms. En is baffled by Ima’s lack of motivation. Ima is a bright student. Her test scores prove she is at the top of the class. She is well-liked by all her teachers and has a ton of friends. Why is she just sitting there doing nothing?

As the bell rings, Ms. En announces it is time to turn in the assignment. Ima walks to the front of the class, assignment in hand, and as she sets the paper in the tray, Ms.En sees there is only one sentence on Ima’s paper. She asks Ima to stay after class.

Ima sits quietly, waiting for the rest of the class to leave. Ms. En sits down next to Ima. Why didn’t you do the assignment, Ima? she asks.

But I did do the assignment, Ima replies.

Ms. En goes into a lengthy semi-scolding about how one sentence is not enough to explain how to start living in those three areas of mindfulness.

Ima sits there listening, tears welling in her eyes. She waits until Ms.En is finished. She looks at Ms. En and says, “that sentence is how I live my life, each day. It is what it is. I am aware that is my present moment with no judgment, “I am not enough.”

Ms. En looks at Ima with disbelief. “My dear, how is that having no judgment?”

Ima replies, “You said it yourself at the beginning of class. Enough is enough. So, that would make not enough is not enough. There is no judgment; it is just what it is. Just like a thought is just a thought. I’m not good enough, so that is just I’m not good enough.”

“Oh sweetie,” “You are good enough,” Ms. En lovingly replies. “I don’t know who planted that seed in your awareness that leads you to believe that in your present moment.” Ms. En reaches over and gives Ima a big hug. She whispers in Ima’s ear. “You are enough!”

“For extra credit, I want you to think tonight about all the things you would say to prove all those naysayers wrong. I want you to draw me a picture of what enough looks like. I want you to use colors to explain the difference between good and bad. Then, please write me a few sentences about how you would tell a friend how good enough they are. I’ll see you in the morning.”

As Ima leaves the classroom, she has a little bit of a spring in her step and thinks to herself, “Oh, Ms. En is my favorite teacher. Maybe, just maybe, she is right. Perhaps I am enough.

This post is brought to you by question two — Personify one of your insecurities in the Tropical Prompts for Wanderlust Souls