I Came Upon a Lighthouse

by Shantanu Naidu

That was the dream written by Ezra Cornell, and what the university was known for: ‘Any person, any study’.

Time is precious, and comfort zones are outdated.

If he has a question, you don’t return with just that answer, you come prepared for ten more questions about it.

Lighthouses get shrouded too. Sometimes there’s fog, sometimes mist, sometimes a storm. But the beacon is always lit. It’s always there.

‘Shantaa-nu, there will be times when we can get through stuff, and there will be times when we can’t. And when we can’t, don’t feel so caught up in getting it done no matter what. It’s okay.’

In hindsight, these outbursts were lessons in disguise. Cumulatively, they were the orientation I was looking for. Moulding doesn’t happen with cotton and wool. It happens with heat and hammer. It happens with confrontation, criticism and uncomfortable conversations.