Yearn

At a major university, there was a professor, Dr. Yearn. He was famous and many students came to hear him every year. He knew he was among the best in his field and he was proud of the fame he had earned over the years. His classes were always filled and students, every term, were turned away because there was no room left in his classes. He often told his colleagues that some day they might be fortunate enough to reach the same level he had attained.

One day, during mid-term, while he was delivering a lecture to a full class of upper class students, the door in the rear of his large classroom opened and his elderly mother strolled into the room. She came down the steps of the auditorium style room and stopped about midpoint. She looked directly at her son and asked, "What on earth are you doing?"

"Mother, I am in the midst of an important lecture and you are interrupting me."

"Nothing you have ever had to say has been that important that someone could not have interrupted you at any time. You need to stop wasting your time and the time of all these good people. Please listen to your mother for once in your life. Shut up, leave this place, go into the mountains where you can be alone. There you will not bother anyone and, maybe, you can finally think about what it is you should have learned, and come to some understanding."

With that, she turned, and left the way she entered. Dr. Yearn watched her as she departed. When the door closed upon her, he went back to his podium, picked up his notes, and without another word, exited the room.