Article March 12, 1949 Issue

THE PATH AND THE PRIZE

MAX DUNAWAY

On a sunny day in early spring a student of Christian Science strolled among the foothills that lay near his home. The weather was pleasant, and the whole season seemed to be telling a glad story of renewal. But the student's heart was not light, for he had been unprofitably considering the great distance that lay between his aspirations and his attainments.

Suddenly his attention was attracted by the staccato reports of a motorcycle on a hillside a few hundred yards away, charging up a precipitous incline. Louder the motor roared and higher the cycle went until it seemed as though it might actually gain the top. Then it faltered, halted, and fell over on its side, unable to make the steep grade.

The cyclist made his way back to the foot of the hill with his motorcycle. Then he remounted the machine, throttled it into another staccato roar, and again sent it hurtling up the hillside. Once more the machine almost attained the top, then came to a stop, fell, and slid with its owner down the sharp slope. Again and again this was repealed, until at last the machine and its rider reached the top. As the Scientist pondered the cyclist's persistence, he saw that not only had it led to success or victory, but also with each successive attempt the cyclist advanced a little farther. In other words, there was a joy of endeavor akin to the joy of victory.

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