in the tranquil silence of our contemplative existence, we perceive that geology, much like the path to enlightenment, teaches us how the most imperceptible shifts within the earth, too slight for our eyes, craft the mountains and valleys that define our world. it is not within our hearts to discredit any approaches that scholars take to understand these subtle forces, for each soul is predispositioned to see the truth in the layers of stone and time in its own way. often, we must start over from the beginning, embracing the humility that what is known is but a grain of sand on an endless beach, reminding us that the most profound transformations are rendered in whispers, not in clamor.