--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A wise man from my home once told me that…" description: "\"A wise man from my home once told me that these mountains have seen far too much suffering and killing, and that each rock and every boulder you see re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/877/greg-mortenson-7579_boulders_a-wise-man-from-my-home-once-told-me-tha_1463032.jpg" --- # A wise man from my home once told me that these mountains… ![“A wise man from my home once told me that these mountains have seen far too much suffering and killing, and that each rock and every boulder you see represents a mujahadeen who died fighting either the Russians or the Taliban. Then the man went on to say that now that the fighting is finished, it…” quote by Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/877/greg-mortenson-7579_boulders_a-wise-man-from-my-home-once-told-me-tha_1463032.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/877/greg-mortenson-7579_boulders_a-wise-man-from-my-home-once-told-me-tha_1463032.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/877/greg-mortenson-7579_boulders_a-wise-man-from-my-home-once-told-me-tha_1463032.jpg) > “A wise man from my home once told me that these mountains have seen far too much suffering and killing, and that each rock and every boulder you see represents a mujahadeen who died fighting either the Russians or the Taliban. Then the man went on to say that now that the fighting is finished, it is time to build a new era of peace-and the first step in that process is to take up the stones and start turning them into schools.” [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges turning symbols of war into foundations for education and peace after conflict ends. **In simple terms:** Turn war ruins into schools for peace. Key Takeaway Convert conflict symbols into learning places. Themes peace education reconstruction memory healing Mood hopeful determined reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - building schools - memorial projects - post‑war community development - peace education Key Concepts post‑conflict reconstruction symbolic transformation community building Questions to Reflect On - How can communities sustain peace after rebuilding? - What role does collective memory play in reconstruction? A Different Perspective Peacebuilding requires political stability and resources, not just symbolism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boulders/) [Eras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eras/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-man/) ## Related quotes > [Every mujahadeen who comes in from outside the country finds an environment where Arabic is spoken. So in that sense, it's a tremendous come-on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/every-mujahadeen-who-comes-in-from-outside-the-country-finds-an/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [“Up and down," Meera would sigh sometimes as they walked, "then down and up. Then up and down again. I hate these stupid mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/up-and-down-meera-would-sigh-sometimes-as-they-walked-then-down-and/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I don't want to play with marbles, when God told me to move mountains!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-don-t-want-to-play-with-marbles-when-god-told-me-to-move-mountains/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [“Another time he told me about two mountains—one of cork, the other of marble—which had spent thousands of years staring at each other without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/another-time-he-told-me-about-two-mountains-one-of-cork-the-other-of/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [Adventure has to do with private, personal experiences. But, the possibilities, there are millions of unclimbed mountains - I have seen in the Eastern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/adventure-has-to-do-with-private-personal-experiences-but-the/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [“Oh Killian." Five immense cliffs rose up from the sea in marvelous grandeur. They were as tall and craggy and enormous as any mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-ann-edwards/oh-killian-five-immense-cliffs-rose-up-from-the-sea-in-marvelous/) [Leigh Ann Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-ann-edwards/) > [“Also, the Bible does not explicitly say that it was only due to the water’s recession (which all sides agree is indeed a factor)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/also-the-bible-does-not-explicitly-say-that-it-was-only-due-to-the/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) > [“That big glorious mountain. For one transitory moment, I think I may have actually seen it”. For one flash, the Mommy had seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/that-big-glorious-mountain-for-one-transitory-moment-i-think-i-may/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-if-these-mountains-had-eyes-they-would-wake-to-find-two-strangers/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Know how to get close to it: mountains are often seen from far off - beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/know-how-to-get-close-to-it-mountains-are-often-seen-from-far-off/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and strange visions of mountains that he had never seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-found-himself-wondering-at-times-especially-in-the-autumn-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to take the long view. First, when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, man has already progressed to the point where a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-f-stone/you-have-to-take-the-long-view-first-when-moses-came-down-from-mt/) [I. F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-f-stone/) > [The secret of this kind of climbing, is like Zen. Don't think. Just dance along. It's the easiest thing in the world, actually easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-secret-of-this-kind-of-climbing-is-like-zen-don-t-think-just/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I was at Mount Tamalpais near San Francisco hiking when a boulder came hurling down the mountainside and smashed my left hand. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/i-was-at-mount-tamalpais-near-san-francisco-hiking-when-a-boulder/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [The Witch's Life" When I was a child there was an old woman in our neighborhood whom we called The Witch. All day she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-witch-s-life-when-i-was-a-child-there-was-an-old-woman-in-our/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) ## More by Greg Mortenson > [Our greatest ally in the Pakistan region of turmoil is the moderate Muslim majority, who we must reach out to and embrace if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/our-greatest-ally-in-the-pakistan-region-of-turmoil-is-the-moderate/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [“People who live in the last places-the people who are most neglected and least valued by the larger world- often represent the best of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/people-who-live-in-the-last-places-the-people-who-are-most-neglected/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [If you teach a boy, you educate an individual; but if you teach a girl, you educate a community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/if-you-teach-a-boy-you-educate-an-individual-but-if-you-teach-a-girl/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [You can hand out condoms, drop bombs, build roads, or put in electricity, but until the girls are educated a society won’t change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/you-can-hand-out-condoms-drop-bombs-build-roads-or-put-in-electricity/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [“I don't want to teach Pakistani's children to think like Americans...I just want them to have a balanced, non-extremist education”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/i-don-t-want-to-teach-pakistani-s-children-to-think-like-americans-i/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/i-ve-learned-that-terror-doesn-t-happen-because-some-group-of-people/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [“Abdul brushed the dirt from the American's forehead, where it had been pressed to the cool ground. "Not Pakistan man," he said. "But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/abdul-brushed-the-dirt-from-the-american-s-forehead-where-it-had-been/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [When your kids accomplish something it means much more than anything you've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/when-your-kids-accomplish-something-it-means-much-more-than-anything/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [If you look at the 9/11 highjackers, certainly they were educated, some even had university degrees, but nobody really checked their mothers, who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/if-you-look-at-the-9-11-highjackers-certainly-they-were-educated-some/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [One thing that I noticed is having met some former Taliban is even they, as children, grew up being indoctrinated. They grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/one-thing-that-i-noticed-is-having-met-some-former-taliban-is-even/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [“Osama, baah!" Bashir roared. "Osama is not a product of Pakistan or Afghanistan. He is a creation of America. Thanks to America, Osama is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/osama-baah-bashir-roared-osama-is-not-a-product-of-pakistan-or/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [ “We shall pursue our dreams “until \[we\] reach\[…\] it. Or fail\[…\] trying. ” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/we-shall-pursue-our-dreams-until-we-reach-it-or-fail-trying/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [“What we are trying to do may be just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/what-we-are-trying-to-do-may-be-just-a-drop-in-the-ocean-but-the/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [. . . hope resides in the future, while perspective and wisdom are almost always found by looking to the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/hope-resides-in-the-future-while-perspective-and-wisdom-are-almost/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) > [It is my vision that we all will dedicate the next decade to achieve universal literacy and education for all children, especially for girls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mortenson/it-is-my-vision-that-we-all-will-dedicate-the-next-decade-to-achieve/) [Greg Mortenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) [Explore all 89 Greg Mortenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mortenson/) ## More Boulders quotes > [The Witch's Life" When I was a child there was an old woman in our neighborhood whom we called The Witch. All day she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-witch-s-life-when-i-was-a-child-there-was-an-old-woman-in-our/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [I was at Mount Tamalpais near San Francisco hiking when a boulder came hurling down the mountainside and smashed my left hand. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/i-was-at-mount-tamalpais-near-san-francisco-hiking-when-a-boulder/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [The secret of this kind of climbing, is like Zen. Don't think. Just dance along. It's the easiest thing in the world, actually easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-secret-of-this-kind-of-climbing-is-like-zen-don-t-think-just/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You have to take the long view. First, when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, man has already progressed to the point where a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-f-stone/you-have-to-take-the-long-view-first-when-moses-came-down-from-mt/) [I. F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-f-stone/) > [If life throws a boulder of you, throw a volley of boulders back, times two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/if-life-throws-a-boulder-of-you-throw-a-volley-of-boulders-back-times/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [You know how mountains get moved? Everyone who can move a couple, move a couple. Those who can move rocks, move rocks. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-know-how-mountains-get-moved-everyone-who-can-move-a-couple-move/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I wanted to create comics as soon as a I learned humans were behind them, that they were not natural phenomena like trees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-wanted-to-create-comics-as-soon-as-a-i-learned-humans-were-behind/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“The moving of the boulders was weary and painful work. We came to know every one of the stones by sight and touch, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-shackleton/the-moving-of-the-boulders-was-weary-and-painful-work-we-came-to-know/) [Ernest Shackleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-shackleton/) > [“Sensing the danger, we pull back as a church and refuse to deal with the evidence at all. Instead of moving ahead, smoothing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-thompson/sensing-the-danger-we-pull-back-as-a-church-and-refuse-to-deal-with/) [Alden Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-thompson/) > [Words can fall hard like a boulder loosed from a cliff. Words can drift unnoticed like a weed seed on a breeze. Words can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/words-can-fall-hard-like-a-boulder-loosed-from-a-cliff-words-can/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [It has become a common feeling, I believe, as we have watched our heroes falling over the years, that our own small stone of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/it-has-become-a-common-feeling-i-believe-as-we-have-watched-our/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [At some point, you can't lift this boulder with just your own strength. And if you find that you need to move bigger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-some-point-you-can-t-lift-this-boulder-with-just-your-own-strength/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my native Boulder County, Colorado, the fracking fanatics are out in force. They are marching door-to-door, petitions and mythology in hand, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beauprez/in-my-native-boulder-county-colorado-the-fracking-fanatics-are-out-in/) [Bob Beauprez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beauprez/) > [If you want a strong society, it has to be inclusive. If you have to push a boulder up a hill, do you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyndi-lauper/if-you-want-a-strong-society-it-has-to-be-inclusive-if-you-have-to/) [Cyndi Lauper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyndi-lauper/) > [Moss is inconceivably strong. Moss eats stone; scarcely anything, in return, eats moss. Moss dines upon boulders, slowly but devastatingly, in a meal that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/moss-is-inconceivably-strong-moss-eats-stone-scarcely-anything-in/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) [Browse all 99 Boulders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boulders/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A wise man from my home once told me that these mountains have seen far too much suffering and killing, and that each rock and every boulder you see represents a mujahadeen who died fighting either the Russians or the Taliban. 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