This quote beautifully emphasizes the importance of finding value and beauty in activities that lack immediate practical purpose. In a world driven by productivity, efficiency, and tangible outcomes, the act of engaging in seemingly 'useless' pursuits often gets undervalued or dismissed. Yet, as the quote suggests, there’s a deep and intrinsic worth in these endeavors—they foster creativity, patience, mindfulness, and joy for their own sake. When we raise pigeons without the intent to eat them, we connect with the simple pleasure and companionship they offer; planting roses to nurture beauty rather than for aesthetic gain encourages us to appreciate the process, not just the final bloom. Writing without the goal of publication reinvigorates our intrinsic love for the craft, free from external validation. Moreover, the metaphor of the curving paths reminds us that genuine fulfillment often comes from exploration, serendipity, and wandering away from rigid plans. Embracing uselessness can liberate us from societal pressures to always be productive, allowing us to discover unexpected sources of happiness, insight, and even inspiration. This perspective invites us to cherish activities not for their utility but for their ability to enrich our inner life, reaffirming that sometimes, the most meaningful experiences are those that seem purposeless at first glance but lead us to profound understanding and joy.