Islands

I went out into the yard. My friends were playing there. They were playing tag. I sat down and began to draw on the tiles. The older ones took advantage of the fact that the youngest was chasing them but could not catch them, and when he did manage to catch them, they pretended that he hadn’t. This really irritated me.

My father said that I could observe how pride governs us. They were so unwilling to lose that their pride had led them to the point of lying. He also said that I should not try to interrupt their game but rather engage in my own game, with good rules, and the others would start to join me.

After a while, the youngest got upset, sat down, and began to watch me as I drew. After some time, the others came and also started drawing on the tiles, including the youngest and Leon (Leon is my brother). Then someone suggested decorating dry leaves, and I proposed making holes in the ones that were already decorated and hanging them on the ivy that grows on the fence. After a while, my father called me for dinner, but before that, we managed to create a decent garland.

I created my own island, with good rules, and when the older ones came to me, I unconsciously quelled their pride. At dinner, my father told me that I had done an excellent job of creating my own game and peacefully resolving the conflict.