When I was in college, I often studied at a nearby park on warm spring days. My favorite spot was an old wooden swing, not far from an old sandbox where young children gathered to play while their mothers caught up on the latest gossip.
One sunny afternoon, their laughter pulled me away from my physics textbook to watch them build little “Dixie cup” castles—some elaborate, some nothing more than hopeful mounds of wet sand, all crafted with the same innocent joy.
Before long, a few older kids wandered over. They were not interested in joining the fun. Instead, they stormed through the sandbox, kicking down every castle the younger children had made. By the time any of the mothers could react, the older kids were already running off to make trouble somewhere else, leaving behind only tears in the sand.
Sitting there, I reflected on how often life looks exactly like that sandbox. The world has castle builders and castle kickers. And every day, each of us chooses which one we will be.
—Dan Bruce