<p>I’m writing an essay on volunteer for Friends of Children of Special needs, and I was wonder if it’s “insensitive” or if it just sounds wrong to compare special children to “ticking bombs”? Now that I think about it, it kind of sounds weird, but I’m using this metaphor just as a metaphor. Here’s a little more of the intro:</p>
<p>“Surrounded by ticking bombs–ready to go off at any second–I had to tread gingerly past them in order to reach the one I had to disarm. As I stepped through the minefield, I had to recall how each of them were different; one needed to be quietly smiled and waved to, another had to have his sporadic one-sided conversations listened to, and the one I just tiptoed past needed to be completely ignored.”</p>
<p>Is this okay, or should I just start over with another metaphor?</p>
<p>I’m not sure about whether I think it’s insensitive or not, but I think it definitely doesn’t help in portraying your relationship with the kids - more people are just afraid of mines/bombs (well, okay, afraid is an understatement, but you get the point). See if you can find something more, er, “loveable” to compare them to, like creeping past some sort of a sleeping animal rather than stepping through a minefield :)</p>
<p>I would choose another comparison. When I read your excerpt, I automatically associate bombs to being negative. Overall it sounded somewhat insensitive…“the one I tiptoed past just needed to be ignored.” Your talking about little children for Pete’s sake! I would suggest that you compare them to something more tender .</p>
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