Mountains should be climbed with as little
effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should
determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded,
slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and
exhaustion. Then, when you are no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t
just a means to an an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged
edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even
though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some
future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not
the top. Here’s where things grow.
Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)
