Proverb Expansion
A stone that remains at place for a long time without motion gets covered with moss. But a stone that rolls constantly does not gather any moss. Similarly, a person who keeps changing his place, profession or course of study, does not gain any experience or knowledge. A person who constantly shifts his residence from place to place will not have a constant friends or neighbours to know and love him. Whatever be his capabilities, he will take time to establish his reputation and win people’s confidence at a new place. Such a person does not have any affinity to anyone or anything. Just as moss covers a settled stone and makes it soft and beautiful, a man who is settled in life gets people to love and to be loved. In the same way, a person who frequently changes his occupation will not gain a steady, established position. A man who lacks determination does not stick to anything. He loiters in the world aimlessly, if a student keeps changing his course of study from physics to literature, from literature to music and so on, he cannot acquire through knowledge in any field. We should have a specific aim in life and work constantly for it with a strength of character. Thus the message conveyed by the proverb is that steadiness of purpose is the key to success.