His shirt was off, clutched in one hand. His skin glistened with sweat. He was smiling. The man was running up a sidewalk yesterday in the heat against the traffic, running crazy with joy.

We start as kids experiencing our bodies with abandon. We learn control to gain skill: in painting, in music, in sports, in academics. We learn to contain feelings. Sometimes we control too much, we contain--no longer trust--the central instinct that gives us grace, that feeds our talent. Some coaches, parents, teachers, encourage that instinct. Some try to control it as though it were theirs and stifle it. Running becomes work. The soccer player, the flautist, the sculptor no longer trusts the self.

Once skills are gained, perhaps the real feat is learning to run again, crazy with joy.