Be a teacher.

 

I had an interesting experience today that left me remembering the words of my late friend, Fred Wagner III: "To hell with them."

Fred was an expert on the Battle of Little Bighorn. I mean an EXPERT. But although he'd spent decades studying and writing about the battle and was smarter than hell, he was humble - and kind. He encouraged me to push through any flack I might receive about my portrait paintings. There would be a lot, he said. "To hell with them," I can still hear him say, "I will bring the roof down on anyone who criticizes your work!" I wish he was still here. I needed him today! He died in December after a long illness.

I kept Fred's words in mind today when I engaged in a simple discussion online over the name of the river after which this battle was named. It was no big deal, in hindsight, but it hit me the wrong way. I was being taken to task for asking a simple question on a forum of experts. I remember reading questions posed on this forum that Fred answered patiently, always reminding everyone that when the "experts" become too high and mighty to answer questions and help others they have failed in the very reason the forum exists in the first place. Well it happened today. I was chided for asking a dumb question. In a way I knew that eventually this would happen because I ask a lot of questions on the forum. Few of them are answered to my satisfaction, which I suppose means my guess is as good as theirs, yet I always hope someone will offer a plausible answer or educated guess. It's a fascinating place to read all about the battle, and there are some great minds on there, but I get my Irish up when experts try to make themselves seem smarter by making others seem dumber. Fred, who was a commander in Vietnam, would request they not let the door hit them in the ass....

So my message to all of you today is that if you are an expert in your particular field, don't assume that others can know what you know by osmosis. If you answer a question that you think is dumb, be the better person and do a generous and patient job explaining things. I guarantee you it will make everyone - including you - feel better about it. And the person who learned something from you will thank you instead of blogging about you.