Sunday, I asked a question that has been on my mind. Today I got an answer. "If I drop out of a competition, but my opponent still thinks we're competing, does that mean I'm still in the race?" "No." "But what if the other person keeps going and thinks they're beating me?" "Well, then they're living in a delusional fantasy."

There once were two dogs who wanted to please their master and earn the master's love through obedience. They raced to see who would be first to greet their master and then tried to outjump each other to show who loved the master more. Each one would bring the master a slipper and the newspaper, and they even learned how to carry the laundry basket. When the master wasn't around, they pushed and bit each other and fought epic battles for the top position within the pack. They counted out the number of kibble pieces and kept track of the length of their walks with the master believing that this would show which dog was more loved. And they compared notes. "On Tuesday, you got to climb onto the bed. I don't get to do that." "But I was sick, so that doesn't count. Besides, you got a new collar in my favorite color." This went on for years. The dogs struggled and battled and neither ever seemed content in his position within the pack. They wasted so much...