Sometimes, a man will find a hole. It’s in his path, within his domain, and it’s harmful. Maybe it’s dangerous, maybe it’s just in the way. As a man is wont to do, he begins to fill it.
The man doesn’t need the hole to thank him. He doesn’t need it to repay him somehow. All the man wants is to see the hole actually getting smaller.
Even if the hole could talk – even if it could thank the man for his efforts, tell him how good he’s doing, maybe even do some task for him in return – it means nothing if the hole isn’t filling up, getting smaller.
Few things are as breaking.
The Opportunity Machine 