The Three Hermits By Leo Tolstoy

Everyone, at one point in their life, has taught someone something, rather that be a skill, method, craft. “The Three Hermits” by Leo Tolstoy is the story of a traveling bishop trying to teach the Lord’s Prayer to hermits. As the bishop is traveling to a monastery on a boat, he hears some pilgrims conversing about an island with three hermits living there. After some inquiry, the bishop learns that the hermits are living there for the salvation of their souls, right in his area of expertise. He sends for the captain and asks to visit the hermits. The bishop is rowed on shore and finds three hermits standing there. He questions the hermits on their methods of serving and praising God, and he discovers that the hermits only know their own simple prayer. The bishop, in awe,

My cousin is five years old, and still doesn’t know how to tie his shoes the correct way. It’s bothersome to watch him knot his shoestrings in a manner you would expect from a clinically diagnosed insane individual. Even worse than his knots was watching him run with both shoestrings flopping about, expecting for him to trip at any moment. Being the great cousin I am, I took it upon myself to teach him how to tie his shoes. After one of his football games, and celebratory ice cream, we went to work. I demonstrated how I tied my shoes step by step a couple time, and then I let him try. I thought he would have no problem with it, but I was sorely mistaken. He didn’t get past the first step. I repeated the steps over and over, trying to keep his attention. After numerous attempts, he finally did it. I made him do it a few more times just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. The very next day I saw him throwing football with his shoes untied, and I know I had wasted my time. I asked him why he didn’t tie his shoes, and he claimed that he had forgot the steps I taught him. I should have known his five year old ambitions were