Watch television and you will find "talking heads" droning on about some area of their expertise. Whether they contribute to the conversation is often of little value, but more importantly they are the expert and so they opine on the issue.
It makes me wonder if there still room for beginners or do we place more value on those who have arrived and mastered the subject?
Thomas Merton, Trappist monk and Catholic writer said, "We do not want to be beginners. But let us be convinced of the fact that we will never be anything else but beginners, all our life."
Being a "beginner" frees us from the tyranny of having to know everything. It rids us of the oppressive notion that we must always have all the answers for the questions we face. It allows us to be "fully present" in the moment and to realize that each moment is an opportunity to learn.
It would be tempting to think that a "beginner" always remains at a starting level and that is often what makes people so fearful to admit that they are a "beginner." The reality is we are always learning and yet never arriving in our journey. Sure we learn some lessons and can move on to other lessons, but as soon as we learn a lesson we realize that there are others to learn. That is the at the heart of every learner.
I think Merton is right when he says, "we don't want to be beginners." Why? Because it requires us to admit that we don't know some things, and when you do, people often will move on to others who do. Admitting we are "beginners" is to fully recognize our vulnerability and dependence on others.
The Scriptures open with these words, "In the beginning...." and that is not a bad place to start for "beginners." Are you ready to begin?
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