Replication
I worked with the best pediatric therapist in the city. She was intelligent and expertly skilled. Unfortunately she didn't impart her skills to coworkers or students. She fulfilled her professional duty as a clinical instructor, but it would be a stretch to call her students' internships learning experiences. She allowed students and coworkers to observe her treatment sessions, but they weren't permitted to touch a patient until the patient was almost ready for discharge. She couldn't risk jeopardizing her patient's progress at the hands of an inexperienced student or lesser-skilled therapist.
When she decided to pursue other job opportunities, there was no one in our department who could carry on her work. Her impressive outcomes left with her. She was the best, but she shortchanged the therapy world and robbed patients across the globe who could have benefited from her expertise through the hands of those she could have mentored.
Is any aspect of your life - at home, at work, in your leisure time - worth passing along to future generations? I'll answer that for you - YES! Maybe you are an expert in your field. Maybe you are a recovering alcoholic who is winning one day at a time. Maybe you are a mom who trains her children to be loving adults. Maybe you are a motivating intramural sports coach. Everyone has something worth sharing. Are you willing to take the time to cultivate your strengths in another person? You may never know the number of lives you touch when you take time to invest in someone through the mentoring process.