For the Sake of Learning

Monday morning there was a knock on my bedroom door.
Joshua walked in holding a mouse trap - with a dead mouse in it - proclaiming, "I just want to say, my idea worked!"

You see, in Joshua's campaign to rid our house and yard of all mice, he has discovered that sometimes those little critters are sneaky and can get the bait without making the trap go off. So, Joshua set out to create the ultimate mouse trap.

He thought things through, made a plan, and went to the store for supplies.

Armed with a rat trap, paper clips, and duct tape, Joshua made his trap. He used the paper clips and duct tape to create a platform, somehow rigged that up over the spring of the trap, baited the trap, and attached it to the wall. His theory was that a mouse would climb up onto the platform to get the peanut butter, and the weight of the mouse would release the spring. No way the little critter could carefully lick the peanut butter off this time!

And he was right. The bar across the back of that mouse proved it.

I must admit, I felt a tinge of sorrow for the mouse as I looked at it. But Joshua was so proud of his achievement - so proud he had come up with an idea, put it into action, and been successful - my pity was short-lasting. Instead I saluted the little critter; giving of his life, for the sake of learning. *wink*