-- *Mar*Of course 🌿 — here’s an *original short story* inspired by the themes in YM Sarma’s essay — about *speed, understanding, and the living nature of learning.* ------------------------------ *The Garden That Waited*
Once there was a university built entirely of glass. Every classroom was transparent, every clock enormous, every student hurried. The motto carved above the gate read: *“Speed is the measure of success.”* Students ran from class to class with their digital tablets flashing. Professors timed every discussion. Even silence had a deadline. Among them was a young student named *Meera*, who had always loved stillness — the way wind paused before changing direction, or how a leaf trembled before it fell. But in the university of glass, stillness was a failure. When Meera once stayed silent during a test, thinking too long before answering, her professor wrote across her paper: *“Too slow to succeed.”* ------------------------------ One morning, the main hallway cracked. A tree root had pushed its way through the polished floor, splitting the glass tiles. The administration sent workers to cut it down immediately. But Meera stood before them and said, “Let the root speak. It has come this far to teach us something.” The workers laughed. “It’s only a root.” Still, Meera visited it every day. She poured water around the crack and waited. Weeks passed. Her classmates forgot about her — they had projects, presentations, and promotions waiting. Then one dawn, after a night of heavy rain, the root broke open the glass entirely. Out of the floor rose a *sapling*, glowing faintly in the early light. It smelled of wet earth and time itself. When Meera placed her hand on its bark, she felt a pulse — a heartbeat, not hers alone. And suddenly, she understood. The tree wasn’t *invading* the university; it was *reminding* it. Reminding that knowledge wasn’t something to reach, but something to *be in* . Understanding didn’t live in speed, but in the quiet exchange between what lives and what learns. ------------------------------ By the next semester, the university was no longer made of glass. The buildings had vines growing through their walls, and some classes were held under open skies. Students still studied mathematics and machines — but they also learned to listen to birds, to rivers, and to each other. The new motto carved above the gate read: *“Understanding waits for those who wait.”* And beneath the old root, now a tall tree, Meera would sometimes smile at the students rushing past — and whisper to the tree, “They’re still learning to slow down.” And the tree would rustle its leaves as if to say, “So are we all.” ------------------------------ Would you like me to turn this story into a *parable-style version* (shorter, more symbolic), or keep expanding it into a *full narrative* (with dialogue and richer world-building)? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCJsM3xrLDPvfiPCF5yyUZj89sa_Nh%2Br%2BKEZL3TLPASD_Q%40mail.gmail.com.
