8 Forces Driving More
wealthy. Not satisfied with his riches and wanting more, he hears of
a faraway village where, for one thousand rubles, all the land he could
circumambulate in one day would be his.
Excited at his prospects and with his servant in tow, he seeks out the
village elder. Yes, it is true, the old man says, with one condition: if by
sundown, he has not returned to the exact spot from where he began,
he will forfeit the one thousand rubles. At sunrise the following morn-
ing, Pahom heads down the hill from the village at a brisk pace, pausing
occasionally to survey what will soon be his. Each new hill he crests
reveals more lush land than the previous one, enticing Pahom to walk
farther. At noon, with the Sun directly overhead, he looks back but is
unable to spot the hill with the elder and his servant awaiting his return.
With half of the day already past, Pahom turns and works his way
back to the starting point. But by late afternoon he is tired. His feet are
cut and bruised, his throat is parched. Off in the distance, he can see
the hill where he started—but the Sun is descending quickly. Though
exhausted, he walks faster, then starts running. As he ascends the last
hill, his lungs burn and his heart pounds. He cries out in pain but keeps
going.
Just as the Sun is dipping below the horizon, Pahom reaches the top
and falls forward, his hand landing on the spot from where he began.
Well done, says the elder—but Pahom is dead. His servant picks up his
spade and digs a grave, six feet from head to heel—the exact amount of
land one man needs.
Sitting on the tractor, looking over such a large field, I often wondered
how much land would be enough, if I were presented the same bargain.
Knowing what befell Pahom, would I be content walking around a
field this size, or would I feel remorse returning before sunset without
having tried for more? As I entertained possible scenarios, my tendency
was always to push for more and not be content with less. As I neared
completion at the bottom of the field, I would peer off in the distance
to where I had begun. At that moment, being able to accomplish more
brought a sense of satisfaction, leaving me convinced that the ability to
farm more was always a good thing. Alas, understanding the pursuit
of more in the context of our inherent drive for survival and the larger
environment around us would take me years to fully grasp.