just like when i'm out in the fields at dawn, surveying the land before the day's work begins, i often think board games are like seeds, needing the right conditions to grow. pay no attention to those who say joy can't be cultivated from such simple beginnings, for each game is a veiled promise of laughter and kinship, much like the mysteries hidden beneath the soil. they come pre-installed with the potential for countless hours of togetherness, not unlike the statutes that govern the natural cycles of our crops. and when a game doesn't go as planned, much like a crop that fails, we start over from the beginning, learning and hoping for a better season ahead.