As I munched my own cookie, I mused that life lessons are not as straightforward as the rules of kickball, where players are either safe or out and must run orderly from one base to the next.

In ancient times, members of the noble class would play a game of kickball known as kemari. Though a rare sight these days, it is played at the start of each year at the Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto.

According to NBA rules, a kickball violation only occurs when done on purpose. The official rule states: “Kicking the ball or striking it with any part of the leg is a violation when it is an ...