A teacher, an apple and an idea

A teacher enthusiastically enters his classroom on a bright Monday morning, holding an apple in his hand. Lifting the apple into the air, he asks his students to tell him what he’s holding. His students, a little confused, look at him as if he’s crazy. Before even giving them time to respond, the teacher exclaims: “NO! That’s not an apple… It’s an idea!”

A look of confusion spreads across the students’ faces. With a sudden gesture, the teacher redirects the students’ attention back to him and continues: “As soon as this brilliant idea pops into your head, you rush to share it with your parents, but to your astonishment, they tell you it’s not a good idea and advise you not to pursue it. The teacher then takes a big bite of the apple.

He goes on to say: “Although upset by your parents’ reaction, you decide not to be discouraged, to take courage and consult your friends. Once again, you are stunned by their incredulous laughter and mockery. The teacher takes another big bite of the apple.

“Looking for comfort, you decide to tell your older sister about the reactions of your parents and friends to your idea. She suggests that you stop verbalizing your crazy, unthinking ideas if you want your friends to stop laughing at you and be taken seriously by Mom and Dad. The teacher takes a third big bite of the apple.

Before concluding with the moral of his story, the teacher lifts the stem of what was once an apple with his fingertips to show that only the core remains, and then explains that the apple core is comparable to an abandoned idea. He goes on to say that every time someone close to you or anyone else makes fun of you or discourages you from pursuing an idea, a piece of your courage falls away, your ambition is extinguished and your positive energy gradually dissipates, until you let the idea fall by the wayside. The teacher then opens the classroom window and throws the apple core as far as possible.

A few weeks later, a student is sharpening his pencil when he spots something growing in the schoolyard in the distance. The teacher asks the students to gather at the window so they can see for themselves that their colleague is telling the truth. The teacher turns to his students and says: “You see, insults don’t mean anything.