“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities but in the expert’s mind there are few.”

– Shunru Suzuki, Japanese Zen Priest
 

“You’ve never seen mountains before?” responded Darwin. “What a loser.”

“He’s not a loser,” snapped my cousin Lloyd. “He lives on a farm in Alberta!”

“Double loser,” said Darwin. We had just met and already I disliked him.

“Come on,” said Lloyd. “No use talking to this loser.”

We rode away on our bicycles while Darwin yelled obscenities at our backs. Darwin was an older kid of Lloyd’s acquaintance. We had encountered him while out riding around the town. It was true: I had never seen mountains before except in pictures. I...

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