Admiring Diamonds

Now and then, when I’m in the midst of working with my students, I picture myself as a jeweler observing diamonds under changing lights. I’ve heard that diamonds display astonishing differences in their radiance as they revolve in darkening and brightening light, and sometimes I’m caught off guard by the ever-shifting brightness of my students’ lives. Even their youthful faces, their frowns and grins and expressions of dismay or understanding or exhaustion, can transform second by second during class. Occasionally, I fall into musingly observing their expressions during a discussion, and am always amazed by the endless alterations. Flashes of comprehension and appreciation can be followed by the dimness of boredom, which can be quickly followed by sparkles of passionate curiosity – and on and on. Now and then, I actually get lost in these observations and the discussion temporarily leaves me behind, but who can fault a jeweler for admiring diamonds?