A young man came to a jeweler’s shop and said he wanted to study to become a gemologist. The jeweler, a well-known expert on precious gems, was hesitant, but the young man insisted that he had the patience to learn everything the jeweler was willing to teach him. The jeweler told him to return the next day for his first lesson.
When the man arrived the next day, the jeweler placed a jade stone in his hand. For four hours the young man held the stone while the jeweler worked.
The next day the jeweler had the young man hold the same stone. And the day after that, and the day after that, for over a week.
Finally the young man showed up one morning and asked, “Sir, when am I going to learn something?”
“Soon,” said the jeweler, passing him the stone.
The young man was about to say he wasn’t going to put up with this treatment any longer, but as he took the stone in his hand he felt surprised. “Why are you giving me a different stone today?”
The jeweler smiled. “You have begun to learn.”
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