In 2019, Preeti and her daughter Aarya walked the rugged trails of the Himalayas, through pine forests and mountain passes, far from schedules and screens.

And in those quiet moments, Aarya began asking questions the education system never did:

“Mom, why does my stomach feel tight when I think about school? Why do some kids cry when they lose games? Why do adults say ‘I’m fine’ when their faces look sad?”

Preeti watched her daughter’s curiosity – the same curiosity she was seeing silenced in classrooms back home. Children were becoming academically brilliant but losing touch with their internal compass. They knew how to perform, but not how to be.

The mountains taught her something school systems had forgotten: growth isn’t a race to the summit. The wisdom is gathered on the trail – in the moments we pause, feel, and integrate what we’re learning.

— That Trek Became Young SoulTales.