Español

“Yo no comprendo numero 3. What did you put?

I sit on the sofa with Benjamin, my soon to be 13 year old son, studying Spanish.  In many cases he knows more than his father. Adam is finishing Book 2 when the rest of us are still in Book 1. So much for parents leading their children.

For four hours a day each of us converse with our individual tutors learning, repeating, forgetting, and hopefully eventually saying, “Ah, si!” Then we come home and study for another couple hours. Learning a language is hard work. It is humbling. Some days I look at my teacher with a blank stare. I’m sure he’s wondering if there is any grey matter between my ears. Like preparing for a marathon, there are days when your feet feel like lead. In the end though, the race goes to the one who can stick it out.

In spite of the challenge, or because of it, we are flourishing. Each day brings new understanding. We go to bed at night exhausted yet fulfilled by a day of great experiences and learning.