Imagine a wide and deep stream, wider and deeper than you can cross with one jump, like all those others you’ve crossed earlier in this journey. This stream is different – you can see the sharp rocks and poisonous snakes and teethy piranhas waiting to eat you for lunch. The water in the stream is boiling hot, too (don’t forget – this is an allegory).
You’ve never crossed a stream like this. Even though a trusted leader has given you a detailed “syllabus” map, you are fearful. You check the map, yes, you have to cross the CP Stream to get to RSH Land – there is no other way. All roads led to this stream, this path, this crossing. However, it is clear that the stumbling rocks, sharp sticks, angry fauna, and water temperature are shown in that map. They left that part out. Why didn’t they warn you about this dangerous stream?
The only way to cross is to build a bridge. So you do. But your first bridge has no foundation and falls into the stream and is swept away. Your second bridge has a better foundation, but the boards you used are old and rotten (read, 80% are not within 5 years). So you keep working and after even more failures, you finally build something that kind of looks like a bridge. You start across the rickety bridge over the stream. You hear your mentor’s voice, come on over. Your foot falls through first this board and then that one, but you make it across somehow. You stand shaking and tired from the fear and the exertion.
You turn and look at your bridge. What a sloppy piece of work! You are embarrassed. I suppose someone looking at it could call it a bridge, but its not one to brag about. You certainly won’t take any pictures or publish any articles about this bridge. But that shambly-looking thing did get you across the dangerous water, and I suppose that is what matters.
But wait, what’s going on here? You rub your eyes – you can’t believe it. The stream is calm, bubbling nicely! No sharp rocks or poisonous snakes or teethy piranhas…did you imagine these? Your shabby bridge looks terrible across that beautiful stream; so you start to work on the bridge, replacing the foundation, using new smooth boards that you found on the ground over here, and shiny nails right out of the box replace the ones you had used over and over.
Finally, your bridge is judged for beauty and merit, and the OAR Bridgemason Inspectors approve your bridge. Yea! You passed the test and can continue on your journey into DIS land.
So you check your map, and turn and start walking again. Oh no, there, just over the hill is a boiling, angry, shark-invested river named DP. You can see shipwrecks and broken bridges all along the river’s edge. It is clear that others have come this way and failed.
Oh no, you say, checking the map one more time, is there another way? Do I have to cross this river, too?
But you already know. Yes, you moan, I have to build a bridge….