Running

from a letter written by Dallas Noyes, @1977

... Lately I've been feeling like a little boy who is running along in the sand by the edge of the seashore, madly tearing along thinking the reason he's running is because he likes to leave tracks. Suddenly the young man looks back and is amazed to find that there are no footprints to be seen. Rather than stop the man keeps running because he's decided the reason he's running is that he has a desire to get somewhere. And then the old man discovers that he neither left tracks, nor stopped running, nor got anywhere worth going; but he merely enjoyed the sound, the smell, the power of the sea, and the thrill and beauty of running as fast and as perfectly as he could. The realization that we run not to leave perfect tracks, perfect continuity, or perfect accomplishments is something I've thought a lot about lately. The only reason we ought to run is because we like running. The only reason to try and be perfect is because we love trying ...