A Zen master and his student were shoveling the heavy snow that had fallen upon the monastery, clearing the paths so that the monks could get their exercise.

"Master," the student asked, "is it true we are each like the snow flake? Every one of us an individual, yet every one of us the same?"

"Who the hell cares?" the master replied. "Just keep shoveling."

With that, the student became still, his eyes half closed, a smile came to his face, and he seemed to glow with new found knowledge.

The Zen master looked at him and said, "If you don't get that look of enlightenment off your face and start clearing the path I will hit you squarely upon the forehead with my shovel."

And so master and student continued to shovel.