The Levels
	Minesweeper has three standard levels, Beginner, Intermediate and Expert, which could correspond to the way people chose to leave their lives. Some people live as "beginners" all their life, which is the easiest way to live, and the quickest with which you can get familiar. The number of choices and possibilities increase with the other two levels, and may represent people living lives that require greater responsibility or greater risk. Games at all levels can be pushed to perform better, but being a big fish in a small pond (or scoring five seconds on the beginner level) is still a life in a small pond. Also, there is the "Custom" level, which the user has a say in the parameters of game. This level is similar to those people who take control of their life, and are able to make it as easy or as hard as they chose, depending on how much they want to be challenged. It is difficult, though, when playing a Custom game, to relate to anyone playing the standard levels.
The Smiley Face
	The smiley face is the normal state; you're going though life, happily minding your own business. However, inevitably, someone or something will enter into your life that upsets the happy balance you've achieved. When faced with this situation, you have to make a choice of - either maintain the status quo or take a risk that may change your life.
The Clock
	The clock represents the time you spend alive, or your life, ticking away. It is not unheard of to not take chances, and just keep things as they are. But the clock reminds you that life is finite, and that, even if your life is currently "safe," it doesn't mean that you should stop.
The Mines
	The mines represent the dangers in life. Usually, these dangers are hidden and unknowable, but sometimes they are apparent. We go through the game, like life, doing our thing, but always watching out for the mines we might encounter along the way.
The Numbered Squares
	The numbered squares represent the different choices and decisions we need to make, as we proceed through the game and life. The numbers themselves could represent how many factors we must weigh when making decisions, with the higher numbers being harder decisions. "1"'s are relatively easy, as the location of the dangerous mine is often obvious, and the decisions of where to go next to avoid the mine is not difficult. As the numbers increase, and the number of dangers that surround our position, or the number of bad possible choices, increase, so too does the difficulty in deciding what to do next. And, like in life, sometimes these numbered clues do not conclusively show where the dangers lie. In these cases, we must guess, and make our next move based on nothing more than intuition, hope, and luck.
The Flags
	The flags represent our memories, experiences and rules we make for ourselves, as we progress through the game. We leave them places to remind ourselves to stay away from a particular area we feel, from experience, may be dangerous.
The Uh-Oh Face
	The "uh-oh" face is the discontented state, when you're weighing alternatives and taking a chance. In this state you are uncertain if you are making the right decision or not, but will never know until after the choice has been made. Each choice leads to one of two consequences.
The Dead Face
	The dead face shows that you made a bad decision, and now you have to live with whatever unhappy consequences that decision brings. Of course, even this "dead" face is not the end of the road, as a new game begins as soon as you're ready.
The Cool Face
	The cool face shows that you made a good decision, and can live comfortably with your improved life situation. As with the dead face, though, this is not a permanent state - it only last until a new game begins.

Of course, unlike life, minesweeper allows you to start a new game any time you choose.