ANTS - A FATHER'S DAY MESSAGE
by my Arlington Towers friend
Robert Sargent

My daughter Mary called me on Father's Day and said,

"Dad, I've got a story to tell you
about you as a father to me, growing up.

You and I were together talking,
daughter and daddy, and an ant came into
the room on the floor between us.
I jumped up and stomped on it."

You looked at me and said,
"Why did you do that?"

I said, "Oh, it's just an ant."

I can't remember exactly all you said,
but you told me not to kill defenseless things, unless I had a very good reason
to do so.

I do remember a particular thing you said,
'They're doing the best they can.'

Ever since then I've never stepped
on an ant, wittingly."

I was of course very pleased
at this Father's Day message.
And as for the saying,

"Doing the best they can,"

I have used it for years, applying it
very broadly to living, struggling things, including humans.

It makes their behavior somehow
more acceptable.

Circa 1960's

Robert Sargent - 1912-2006

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