“Humans,” sighed Andy the little Ant, flattening himself against a cracked tile, “have only one purpose in life: to kill us!”
His mother, veteran of many a kitchen swabbing raid and the Great Pest Control Genocide of 2025, didn’t flinch. She calmly adjusted her feelers and said, “Come, Andy. Climb a tree with me.”
“A tree? Are you mad?” Andy squeaked. “They’re coming! Shoes, slippers, sandals – the whole cavalry!”
But his mother was already on her way up a neem tree outside. And so, huffing, puffing, and dramatically muttering about maternal cruelty, Andy followed.
When they reached a sturdy branch far above the chaos, she said, “Now look.”
Andy peered down. He blinked. He stared. Then blinked again.
“Nobody’s looking for us,” he said slowly.
“They’re all just… walking. Hurrying. Talking. Arguing. Clicking selfies. Falling into potholes…”
“Exactly,” said his mother with a wise little smirk. “They’re not out to get us. We just got in their way.”
That, dear reader, is what I call a life lesson from a six-legged source.
Because aren’t we all a little like Andy the Ant?
We think the world is against us. We become oversensitive.
That our boss ignored us because he hates us.
That our neighbour didn’t wave because she’s jealous of our marigolds.
That the traffic cop pulled us over because he doesn’t like our face.
That the waiter gave the other table more chutney on purpose.
Hey: the world isn’t plotting your downfall.
It’s not even thinking about you that much.
It’s just moving. People are busy with their own worries—deadlines, diets, petrol prices, in-laws, society problems… and occasionally, what to watch next on Netflix.
But when you stay at ground level, you think everything’s about you.
What you need to do, my friend, is climb a tree.
Not literally, unless you’re incredibly fit and immune to suspicious stares from the neighbours.
But climb up mentally. Emotionally. Spiritually.
Build yourself up.
Read. Think. Pray. Laugh. Learn a skill. Talk to someone wise. Walk away from drama. Grow.
The higher you climb inside, the clearer things get outside.
You realise that most slights aren’t insults.
Most rejections aren’t betrayals.
And most people aren’t villains in your personal soap opera. They’re just actors in their own chaos.
But you won’t know that till you gain height. Till you rise.
So when life feels cruel, when people seem mean, when you think the world’s out to get you—
Don’t sulk. Don’t rant. And definitely don’t put up WhatsApp statuses like, “Some people will never understand until it’s too late…”
Just climb.
Or build.
Or grow.
Because the view from above? It’s not only better—it’s saner.
And once you’ve built yourself up, like Andy did, you’ll stop whining about being squashed…
…and start walking with somewhere to go, like the rest are doing…!
The Author conducts an online, eight session Writers and Speakers Course. If you’d like to join, do send a thumbs-up to WhatsApp number 9892572883 or send a message to bobsbanter@gmail.com
