Misha was a quiet girl who loved to read and think. She often sat alone in her school garden, watching the clouds or writing in her diary. Her best friend, Sneheet, was very different. He was cheerful, always talking, and liked to play with others.

One afternoon, Sneheet came to Misha and said, “Why don’t you talk more? People think you’re rude.”

Misha looked up, surprised. “I’m not trying to be rude,” she said softly. “I just don’t know what to say sometimes.”

Sneheet frowned. “But everyone says you act like you’re better than them.”

Misha’s heart sank. She didn’t want people to think that. Later that night, she wrote in her diary:
“Why do I stay silent? Why do I feel like something is stopping me from opening up?”

The next morning, Misha felt confused and sad. During lunch break, she quietly walked to her favorite teacher, Shila Ma’am, who was sitting under a tree reading.

“Ma’am,” Misha asked softly, “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Misha,” Shila Ma’am said, setting her book aside.

“Sometimes… I feel like there’s a wall inside me. Like something’s stopping me from speaking or being free. I don’t know why it’s there.”

Shila Ma’am smiled gently. “Misha, when we feel judged, hurt, or afraid, our mind builds a wall to protect us. It’s not a bad wall—it was just trying to keep you safe. But now, it’s also keeping you from feeling free. You can’t break that wall by being angry at it or pretending it’s not there. You have to look at it with kindness, without calling it good or bad. Just understand it.”

Misha listened quietly. What Shila Ma’am said made sense. She had never looked at her silence that way before.

After school, Misha went to Sneheet. “Can I tell you something?”

He nodded.

“I think… there’s a wall inside me. Maybe it came from when people laughed at me for talking too much when I was little. So now, I stay quiet. But today, I understood I don’t need to hate that wall. I need to look at it and understand it.”

Sneheet smiled kindly. “I’m sorry I judged you. I didn’t try to understand.”

“That’s okay,” said Misha. “I’m still learning to understand myself too.”

From that day on, Misha didn’t try to force herself to talk more. But she began watching her thoughts gently. She didn’t scold herself when she felt shy or nervous. Slowly, she began to feel lighter—like the wall inside her was becoming smaller.

Sneheet stayed by her side, and sometimes they would just sit quietly together under the trees. And that was enough.

🌟Moral of the Story🌟
To go beyond our fears and limits, we must first observe them gently, without judgment. Like watching a child, we must look with care, not blame—and only then can the mind begin to move towards freedom and truth.