"Enthusiasm is the state of caring, really caring."
I wonder as I read that quote whether or not it's possible to cause oneself to care about a certain thing or person. I tend to think it's not nearly that simple - if it were, then there would be a lot less changing of jobs and marriages.
There is the ability, within something not quite so pleasant, to find something that you naturally care about so as to grasp on to some enthusiasm. I've never really enjoyed running much, but the thought of being healthier is usually enough to get me out there. Or, to combine it with some other multi-task, like memorizing lines for a musical.
Lately these 12-hour days of work/tutoring have consumed a lot of energy. But those moments that satisfy the teacher in me, like a sweet shot for a golfer, keep me coming back for more.
A co-worker asks me some questions about vocabulary terms.
A student gets excited when he learns a new trick to solve a problem.
A co-worker asks about how such-and-such law works.
A student gets a solid A on a long homework assignment.
And just the idea of growth - that through the tutoring I'm learning how to be a teacher, and learning how different students' minds work - brightens the promise of what the future may hold.
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