the Sharing of Not Knowing

 During my posting of ideas and replies on my online course this evening, I couldn't help but feel a certain kind of joy and excitement. I am not sure if it's because I feel the flow of thoughts, or whether online courses are perhaps the equivalent to a virtual cocktail party (and to think that I would like such a virtual party, being an introvert!). The point is, it makes me realize how enriching it is to learn in the midst of others.
  I am convinced that for even brief moments, these experiences can pose what Martin Buber referred to as "I Thou" encounters: places where we are truly reflecting each others' awareness back on each other rather than treating each other as "things". What gets me every time is the ability to articulate my experiences and understanding of a theory to other students. I do think that it makes me grateful for the educational process itself. This, like my previous blog about Master Sheng Yen, points in a direction of not seeing education as a goal with a certificate that says "now I am an expert". Rather, it is the opposite: seeing what I don't know reflected in the eyes of others, and seeing that this is a good thing, not bad at all. Think about it: if we knew everything, what would become of "us"? We would stop talking to each other because we were already professed "experts" and we would probably live in separate silos, protected by guns! That's because we assume we know everything and thus don't make ourselves open to the sense of "not knowing" that every human contact provides.