[MD] strong legs

[Heather Perella]

Hello Margaret,

     Margaret said:  "I know that a lot of these
discussions have been covered here before and I have
been reading through many of the moq links, but it's a
lot to get caught up on so if there is a specific
thread 
on this that someone can direct me to, I'll try to
start my reading there."

     I began [MD] strong wind with strong wind being
that opposing force to quality, and thus, I mentioned
earlier that strong legs could walk even as the strong
wind blows.  Thus, strong legs being quality.  So,
what is opposed to quality?  Identifying the strong
wind and strong legs could be difficult especially
when all comments, no matter how contrasting they may
seem could be just strong legs walking up the same
hill.

   Margaret said:  "Well, the squirrel sure is getting
over on you!  I think the squirrel definitely has
quality figured out!"

     Sure did, and sure does. 

     mm? (I thought it would be mw):  "Not only that,
but the experience you had in your interaction with
the squirrel also had quality don't you think?"

     Sure, and my intent (or meaning, or gist of it)
in my comment was to show how practicing (in other
words, exercising) intellect is helpful.  I survived
in the woods.  My friend and I prepared and had enough
foresight to get ourselves through.  Yet, I was
agreeing with you that sometimes, no matter how much
we may practice, the squirrel will get by all our
preparations and practice finding that which we intend
to hide from it. 

     "A shared moment between you and the squirrel, as
you and the squirrel are attempting to outwit the
other. Certainly this has quality...
no matter the intent." 

     Sure it has quality, yet, I was thinking the
intent by the squirrel and myself was a situation we
found ourselves in, in which the squirrel and I were
trying to out-wit the other.  In that moment, that was
the intent or meaning behind the situation.  We could
sit back, sprout, and outline many intentions,
motivations, and meanings from this quality
experience.  I think that is what may have the
experience beautiful and full of not just a static,
defined quality, but also a dynamic, undefined
quality, too.  
     At that moment between the squirrels and I (and
my friend) the focus upon one particular static value
shooting towards a target (food) was shared in
experience by all involved, even the trees the rope
was tied to and the squirrels were jumping and gliding
to and from.  Intention is not what I take to be the
'handler of the outcome' or 'the definer of what will
be or not be'.  The squirrel and us had our intentions
and on another day and night the outcome could well be
different.  The possibility to go here or there after
we concentrate and try to do something is still as it
is - possible.

     Thus, intending, yet, unknowing where this will
land, I throw this new heading out there thinking we
(Margaret and I) have strong legs in what I define
strong legs to be in relation to quality, as opposed
to being a strong wind trying to blow quality away
from our view and experience of the world.

     Where do you stand with Pirsig's quality?  Are
you strong legs or strong wind Margaret?  I don't want
to put words in your mouth so if I was wrong above in
thinking "we have strong legs", then I apologize. 

Thanks,
SA

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