The school playground in Aranyapur was unusually lively that afternoon. Students ran around, throwing paper airplanes, chasing footballs, and laughing loudly. But Aryan sat quietly under the large banyan tree, deep in thought.
The Market Monk had asked him to meet there after school.
When the Monk finally arrived, carrying a small plant pot, Aryan looked confused.
“Master… are we gardening today?”
The Monk smiled. “In a way, yes. Today, you will learn about the greatest skill an investor can have—patience.”
He placed the pot before Aryan. It held a tiny sapling, no taller than a pencil.
“This little plant,” the Monk said, “is your investment.”
Aryan raised an eyebrow. “But it’s so small.”
“That,” the Monk whispered, “is exactly how all great things begin.”
THE STORY OF THE PATIENCE TREE
The Monk began walking toward a patch of sunlight.
“Long ago,” he said, “there was a boy named Kunal. His grandfather gave him a seed and said, ‘Plant this and care for it. One day, it will become the Patience Tree.’”
Kunal planted the seed behind his house.
On the first day, nothing happened.
On the second day, nothing changed.
A week passed—still nothing.
Kunal kicked the dirt in frustration. “This is useless!”
His grandfather chuckled. “Great things don’t grow in a hurry.”
Finally, a tiny sprout appeared. Kunal became excited and checked it every morning.
But weeks later, it was still just a small plant.
His friend teased him: “It’s too slow! Why don’t you buy a fast-growing plant like mine?”
Kunal felt embarrassed. He almost pulled out his little plant and threw it away.
But his grandfather stopped him.
“Slow growth,” he said gently, “is not bad. Slow growth is strong growth.”
YEARS OF PATIENCE
The Monk walked Aryan to the school field where several trees stood tall.
“Kunal kept watering his plant,” he continued. “Seasons passed. Storms came. Summers dried the soil. But he never gave up.”
The plant grew into a thin tree. Still not impressive. Still not big.
But then, in the tenth year, the tree exploded with growth.
Its branches spread wide.
Its trunk thickened.
It produced sweet fruit that people from nearby towns came to taste.
It became the most famous tree in the region—the Patience Tree.
“And Kunal?” Aryan asked.
“People admired him,” said the Monk. “They said, ‘You got lucky!’”
Aryan rolled his eyes. “But it wasn’t luck.”
“No. It was the simple magic of patience.”
WHY INVESTMENTS NEED TIME
The Monk pointed to the students on the field.
“Everyone wants fast results,” he said. “Fast marks, fast success, fast money, fast growth.”
Aryan nodded. He saw it every day.
Friends quitting hobbies in a week.
People giving up exercise after three days.
Everyone expecting instant rewards.
“But investing,” the Monk said, “does not work like instant noodles.”
Both sat back under the banyan tree as the breeze rustled its giant leaves.
“Businesses grow the same way trees do,” the Monk explained.
Year 1: Slow, almost invisible progress
Years 2–3: Learning, building, experimenting
Years 4–7: Growing roots, becoming stable
Years 10–20: Becoming powerful, creating value
Aryan listened carefully.
“So investing means planting seeds and waiting for them to grow?”
“Yes,” the Monk replied. “Investors buy good companies and let time help them grow.”
He added:
“Most people fail in investing not because they choose the wrong company,
but because they cannot wait.”
THE STORY OF THE IMPATIENT STUDENT
The Monk told another short tale.
“A boy named Rohan bought shares of a small toy company. After three months, the price didn’t rise. He became angry and sold them.”
Aryan tilted his head. “What happened after that?”
“A year later, the company released a hit toy. The stock price rose five times.”
Aryan groaned. “He missed it!”
“Yes,” the Monk said. “Because he behaved like someone digging up seeds every week to check if they’re growing.”
Aryan laughed at the silly image.
“But it’s what many people do,” the Monk warned. “They panic when nothing happens in a short time.”
THE BANYAN TREE LESSON
The Monk placed his hand on the banyan tree behind them.
“Do you know how old this tree is?”
Aryan shook his head.
“More than 200 years. But imagine if its first caretaker had given up after one year.”
The thought made Aryan smile sadly.
“How long should an investor hold their investments?” he asked.
The Monk smiled.
“As long as the tree is healthy and growing.”
He continued:
“A good business grows slowly but surely.
A strong investment needs years, not days.
And a patient investor becomes wealthy—not quickly, but surely.”
THE FINAL MESSAGE FOR A 13-YEAR-OLD
The Monk faced Aryan directly.
“Young people believe everything must happen now. But time is your greatest friend.”
He pulled out a sheet of paper with three drawings:
- A seed
- A sapling
- A giant tree
“These represent your life,” he said.
“If you start investing early—even small amounts—the power of patience will create something incredible.”
Aryan felt a spark inside him.
He finally understood that investing wasn’t about quick money or lucky guesses.
It was about time, growth, and belief.
The Monk handed him the small sapling from earlier.
“Take care of this,” he said. “As it grows, your understanding will grow with it.”
Aryan hugged the little plant gently.
He didn’t just learn about investing that day.
He learned about life.
Great things take time.
And the greatest rewards belong to the patient.