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Students feared dimming their own flame by helping others—until the mirror arrived.
In a darkened room a teacher lit a single candle and told the class to watch the flame. “This is your talent,” she said. She lifted a mirror and turned it slowly until light leaped into corners the candle itself could not reach. The flame did not shrink; the room simply grew brighter. Some students had believed that helping others would drain what little spark they had. The mirror made the truth wordless and obvious: reflected light multiplies. For the rest of the term they shared notes more freely, tutored quietly after school, and discovered that the more they taught, the more they understood. No one left that lesson with less light than they brought in.
