When the student is ready.....

Fast Mikie, a San Diego based pool-blogger (and Level 7 APA Player) recently quoted the Buddhist saying "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

I think its been apparent from some of my other posts that I've been longing for a teacher. As I've mentioned before, one of my mentors on my team moved away, and I have really felt the void. I do have a couple of instructors that I can go to periodically for lessons, but that's not quite what I'm looking for. Information is only a part of what I'm craving. Really, its the relationship that you have with a coach/teacher or master (as used in the original Buddhist saying).

Its having someone else who cares about your success and failures and is willing to care about the whys and why nots and what to do about it. Someone else who will take satisfaction and will appreciate your hard work (win or lose). Basically, someone else to witness the journey with a little more invovlement and compassion than say the Greek Chorus commentary of some pool teams.

I think having the witness and being able to have an ongoing dialogue and the relationship with a mentor helps you learn faster. I'm sure of it.

Maybe that's a lot to ask. Maybe that's more than what I need. I'm no great shakes as a pool player. But I 'm a good student and I work hard. When it comes right down to it, I'd just love to have someone who is better than me to shoot pool with on a regular basis who can give me pointers without being obnoxious and would enjoy talking over what went right and what went wrong in my game.

So, I'm throwing this out there, into cyberspace. Is this unreasonable to ask for? Am I looking for the wrong thing? Or am I just not ready and when I am the teacher will appear?

Signed,
The Lonliest, Least-Appreciated Pool Player in the World (Sniff, sniff)