A Need to Wander Trails

Re “Reclaiming Balance” (What I Learned, Sept. 12): I also worry for the children of today. More than that, I worry for us. When did “busy” come to mean “worthwhile”? When did “efficient” come to mean “effective”? I think we, as a society, have lost our way.

I was a cross-country runner in high school, a cross-country runner at Princeton, and I still run trails today. One thing I’ve learned from all that running is this: Yes, it’s fun to win, but the race is really about the trail.

I hope we somehow find a way to start wandering trails again. The human soul needs it and, if we must be pragmatic about something so fundamental, ingenuity requires it.