So one day, three of my students are waiting to enter heaven. St. Peter says, "We're running behind schedule, so we can only take one of you today. I will take whoever can explain to me what is the meaning of Easter."
The first student says, "That's easy! Easter marks the beginning of Spring Break!"
St. Peter shakes his head sadly, and says "No, I'm afraid that won't do at all."
So the second student makes an attempt: "Easter weekend is the time when there are fabulous white sales."
St. Peter says sadly that this too is incorrect, and looks dubiously at the third student, who says:
"Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus was crucified and he was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder." St. Peter is surprised and delighted, and is about to gesture the speaker into heaven, when the student continues: "Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out, and if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter."
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Ok, so my students were not the original subject of the joke, but I think there is a deep strain of truth in this. I don't know how often I'm nodding along like St. Peter, delighted at a student response which shows they understand, they really understand, only to have the student tack on a final line about "six more weeks of winter" that tells me I've been duped again.
Maybe true wisdom is knowing when to quit talking and let people assume you know what you're doing.
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