My sweet italian Grandmother is an accomplished cook. She taught me how to make marinara sauce exactly like hers. It was an honor. Eventually I made substitutions of my own with fresh ingredients and deviated from her coveted but unmeasured recipe. Fundamentally, we learn by mimic. It’s why swearing like a sailor in the presence of a toddler is frowned upon.
Today, I found myself thinking about the anti-teachers in our lives. Maybe it’s a friend who got into drugs, a mother who overcooks pasta or an uncle who lost his childrens college tuition money in some boondoggle investment. We don’t often view those people as our mentors. We are quick to criticize actions and judge behaviors. Yet, we are deeply indebted to them for exemplifying mistakes and sharing the advantage of their experience without the misfortune that followed.
We are all students and teachers in our lives…and even those who can’t do, can teach. 
how very, very insightful! Yes, we learn from even those we do not look up to…most especially, them.
rebecca
July 11th, 2008
Cool. It’s so true and yet we rarely see it this way.
There’s a saying that goes something like….”If you can’t be an example of how to be, that means you’re an example of how Not to be”.
Good post.
Bohemian mom
July 11th, 2008
They’re all lessons of life, especially the bad times.
And yes, we learn from them.
Suzy
Suzy
July 13th, 2008
Hi
It’s uncommonly, very interesting thoughts
chinaman
September 18th, 2008