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Tug of War

They stood at opposite ends, each with opposing views. Both were hurt and angered; both were misunderstood. Communication now was only business polite. Open verbal dialogue had all but ceased, and written words were passively displayed. If one gestured near the center or loosened grip, the other quickly countered by a tighter, more grounded hold. And so they played for days.

Tug of war does not accomplish much. There is no triumph in dragging your opponent through the mud, for even winners are splashed and hit with flying debris. It is such a childish game that wastes all useful energy. It's a poor model of strategy, and yet it's easy to end if both would just give up. Life is much too short for me to play such games. Even though they both asked me if I'd join in the fun, I told them no, let go, and walked away. . .

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