20140323.0854

I gave a talk alongside a Latino man of peace
He said he had found himself in a sandbox
Left to play on his own
And that it is not a good thing to leave people in such places

He is correct, of course
But not for the reason he thinks he is.
Unattended sandboxes collect things.
How not, when cats use them as toilets

I suppose the metaphor continues to work
He was talking about research
And it is the case that digging around sometimes
Yields up turds

To the untrained eye
Such turds can look like ore from which to derive precious metals
Or else like snacks thoughtfully provided
And it sometimes takes painful experience to teach which is which

Shall I simply hand off the shovel and pail
And let another sit in the sand without watching
Hoping that person will teach that person's self
Or should I watch and warn and guide along

Choose carefully
Both options have implications
Both choices consequences
And they cannot be avoided