By: John D. Pepe

For me Dart represents how things in life sometimes grow out of control. These “things” usually begin innocuously. Harmless and experimental, a new discovery in our lives, just like Dart, who was a new life form the party had never seen before. Dart, at first, was meek and docile. Just a cute little pet.

Then over time this small, innocent discovery, begins to feed and grow. And grow. And grow, until it begins to grow out of control.

Even when the others, Mike, Lucas, and Will, could see that Dart was no longer some tame flirtation with a new pet but was morphing into a true threat, Dustin clung to his new friend, failing to see how dangerous Dart was becoming, not only to himself, but to those around him. He hid Dart from the others, not wanting them to take him away. Almost becoming co-dependent, in the hopes of claiming Dart as his personal discovery to impress Mad Max.

Dart represents anything in life that we as humans let get out of control. Drugs, sex, video games, the Internet, dieting and exercise, or even God and religion. Dart doesn’t have to be something society deems negative, it can be anything that we let ourselves become obsessed with to the detriment of ourselves and those around us. I believe that we must always be circumspect of the “Darts” in our life. They can set us on a path of destruction and our desire to have them can cloud our very judgment about their deleterious effects, just like Dustin with Dart. Once our Dart gets too big, unmanageable, and uncontrollable he may just eat your cat-metaphorically speaking-and we certainly don’t want to let our obsessions get to that point.

Now, I’m not advocating that you never have a sip of alcohol, or that you shouldn’t go on a diet to lose a few pounds, or that you shouldn’t go to church and have God first in your life. What I am saying is that things in our life, even things we deem as positive or harmless can become detrimental. Just stay vigilant with your behavior and know when these “things” might be turning into Dart the Demodog.