185. the guru responds to his critic

the next day, the guru came to his school to find it again covered in graffiti. the guru cleaned it off once more, but the next morning, it was covered in graffiti for a third time.

again, the guru cleaned it off, but he also put a sign in front of his school, and the sign read, “dear whoever you are: i understand that you do not like me. i understand that you think my teachings are leading students astray. but i am a person, and i am trying the best that i can. like you, i am pained by the bad of the world. but instead of feeding my anger, i have channelled it into the creation of something. my school is my life’s work, and i love it with all of my heart, and every day that i see it covered in graffiti, i feel like a sunflower shrouded in darkness. please spare me the darkness tomorrow.”

the next morning, not only was the guru’s school free from graffiti, but the grass was mowed and the bushes were trimmed, as well.