We should repay the kindness of others;
we should let go of our anger.
Spend less time holding grudges
and more time repaying kindness.
Twill had been looking forward to the human’s picnic for weeks. As a teenage ant, he was too young to have been to one yet, but had heard all about them from listening to the older ants. There would be so much wonderful food there. And lots of ants too. Maybe he’d even get to meet some really cute girl ants.
Twill was lost in his daydream when his mother called to ask if he had finished his chores and studied for his final exam. Since he hadn’t done either, he didn’t answer her. He knew that if his mother found out he would be stuck in the apartment and not get to hang out with his buddies. He decided he’d go see them now without telling his mother. There’d be plenty of time later for studying and chores.
He slipped out and quietly closed the front door behind him. He had only gone a dozen steps down the tunnel when his mother opened the door and stuck her head out. “Hello boys,” she called out to Twill’s friends at the end of the tunnel.
Then she looked at Twill. “Twill, have you finished studying and doing your chores?”
Twill was so embarrassed! Why did his mother have to treat him like a baby. He was a teenager for Pete’s sake! Twill gruffly retorted, ”I’m busy now, Mom.”
Twill’s mother stepped out into the tunnel and looked at him. Sighing, she said, “Twill, you’re not going anywhere until you finish your work. Back into the apartment. Now.” To Twill’s friends she said, “Twill will have to join you later after he’s done.”
Twill stormed back into the apartment and angrily began doing his chores. As he was washing the dishes, putting out food for their pet grub, and packing the food his mother had fixed for the queen, he muttered to himself about how unreasonable his mother was. Why did she always go on about school and chores? Didn’t she know he had important things to do? He was almost an adult!
Was she always going to treat him like a child?
He was still very upset when he took out the trash. It was so unfair. And embarrassing. How would he ever face his friends again! He sat down on the ground, propped his elbows on a piece of wood and his chin on his hands. Why were parents always nagging their kids? If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. They never understood. Parents thought only about what they wanted their kids to do, not what their kids wanted.
After some time, he heard footsteps behind him. When he turned to see who it was, he saw that it was his mother.
“Son, I’m sorry you’re upset. You have chores to do because you’re almost an adult now, and I depend on you. And you have to study hard because a good final grade will get you that job you want.
“Twill, meeting our responsibilities is something we all need to do. And meeting them happily, or at least not unhappily,” she said as she smiled, “will make whatever we are doing more enjoyable.”
“Now, I have to get this seed inside. I came out here to find one because you’re going to need it for your final exam. After the picnic, when the other students start looking for them, they’ll be hard to find. I’ll go now and put it in your room for you.”
Twill watched his mother turn to leave. Now he felt terrible. Here he had been angry and complaining about her when, as usual, she had been thinking of helping him.
Not sure how to apologize, he called to her, “Mom?” She turned around to look at him.
Looking down at his feet, he said, “Thank you.” Then he looked up at her. “I really mean it. And I’m sorry.” The smile on her face could only come from a mother. He got up and ran over to the door. He opened it for her, and then helped her carry the seed back to his room.
It is better to remember the kindness of others
than to hold on to our anger.