Mehmet was a man who, from a young age, burned with the dream of starting his own business. After years of saving, he finally made his dream come true and opened a small café. In the beginning, everything was perfect: customers were happy, and sales were good. However, his childhood friend Halil, whom he trusted and took in as a partner, secretly embezzled most of the profits. Mehmet lost everything. With debts, bankruptcy, and court cases, he was devastated both financially and emotionally.
Years passed, and Mehmet eventually recovered. He saved up money again, but this time, he moved with extreme caution. When another opportunity to start a business came along, everyone told him, “Come on, Mehmet. Don’t let it be like last time—be careful this time.” But he was constantly hesitant. He checked even the smallest details over and over again and approached even the people he trusted with suspicion.
Even when his new partner Ayşe told him, “You can trust me now,” Mehmet questioned every word. Although Ayşe was occasionally hurt by his doubt, she understood Mehmet’s caution. Mehmet now took every step as if he were “blowing on yogurt before eating it.”
He succeeded in his second business, but the scars of the past never fully healed. Because once he had been burned by milk, he now blew even on yogurt before tasting it.
That’s why Mehmet’s story became a living example of the proverb. His past mistakes became the greatest teachers of caution for the future.