Theme: Help, Divine Justice

The ant that liked to help

Once upon a time there was a little ant called Tati, who was very good. When someone needed her for anything, she would help happily.

	Tati didn't care if she got something in return or even if someone would say thank you. She really liked to feel
useful.

Often, you didn't even have to ask. If Tati saw someone in trouble, she would stop what she was doing and help it.

She was a peaceful and happy ant. She helped people with love and received a lot of affection too.

Most of the time, when she helped someone, she got thanks and kind words. But that didn't always happen. Sometimes, they didn't thank her or give any importance to what she had done. The little ant, however, did not care about that. She felt good, just having been able to help.

One day, the ants were outside the anthill, looking for food and found a delicious bush. But the softest leaves were at the top and the ants had to climb and move to other branches to reach the best leaves.

Tati, seeing her colleagues stretch to climb, placed herself next to one of them. The other ant then leaned on Tati, climbed onto her back, and reached the top branch. Immediately, another ant, seeing what her friend had done, also climbed on Tati's back, held onto the leg of the other one, which was already on top, and so the two managed to climb.

Tati stretched as far as she could to try to climb up as well. She was supported only on her two back paws, waving the other four, asking for help to be pulled up. The two satisfied ants, however, didn't even look down. They distanced themselves from Tati, without helping her and without even saying thank you.

Tati was very disappointed. As she didn't act that way, she was surprised by the attitude of the other ants. Tati tried to stretch out a little more, but she couldn't get up and she was already starting to give up and resign herself for not being able to pick those leaves, when suddenly she heard a voice:

– Hi, Tati, how are you?

It was the cricket friend. From time to time, they met, and Tati was always polite to him. They had known each other for some time and the cricket had already seen the little ant help many people. That's why, seeing her stretching to go upstairs, he wanted to help her too.

– What are you trying to do? – he asked.

– Hello, cricket friend, how are you? – she replied with a smile. – I´d like to climb that bush. Its leaves are delicious, but only the top ones. Those bottom ones, besides being too big, are too stiff.

– Then let's go upstairs! – said the cricket excitedly. – You can climb up and hold on well.

The little ant couldn't believe it. She had been so disappointed that she couldn't count on the ants she had helped and the cricket, for whom she had never done anything directly, was helping her in this way.

She opened a smile, thanked her friend and, asking permission, climbed on his back and held on tightly with her six legs.

The cricket then ducked a little to give it a boost and made such a big jump that they landed on top of the bush.

– Woohoo! – Tati shouted excitedly.

The little ant then chose the best leaves. She took several. As many as she could carry, and we have to consider the ants are quite strong.

Then she climbed back on the cricket, and he jumped back to the ground. And with yet another leap, he left Tati at home, with her soft and delicious leaves that caught the attention of the entire anthill.

– Thank you so much, cricket! How can I reward you? – she said sincerely.

– Oh no, it was a pleasure! – replied the friend.

They said goodbye and the cricket left.

The little ant, then, was thinking about how nice it was to receive help from the cricket. And how important it is to help. It doesn't matter that some don't recognize it. The important thing is that God recognizes and puts the right people in our path to help us when we need it too. God is fair, he is faithful and never forsakes us.

Tati didn't even think about the ants that despised her. She was with God and her heart was at peace.

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com