The ant that worked in summer lived happily in winter... but is that true happiness?
Do you remember the Aesop's fable
The Ant and the Grasshopper
that you heard as a child?
To explain it briefly, it goes like this.
The grasshopper, who only played during the summer, had no food or shelter when winter came and eventually perished from the cold.
On the other hand, the ant, who worked hard during the summer, had prepared well for winter and was able to survive it in peace.
And they lived happily ever after.
This fable
Do not be distracted by immediate pleasures.
Work hard and prepare for the future.
It teaches us a wonderful lesson.
Certainly, in today's world,
there aren't many things
that you can get without effort.
Especially as a cram school instructor,
interacting with students every day,
I always feel the importance of effort.
But, I suddenly realized something.
🔵 Was the ant really happy?
The ant who watched
the grasshopper's performance with envy.
Was the
happy lifethat the ant sought...
just "spending the winter in leisure"?
The "happiness" depicted in this storyhappinessis not a joy that wells up from the bottom of the heart...
someone else's valuesIt feels more like a
correct way of lifeforced upon them.
The ant was captivated by the grasshopper's performance
that it happened to hear.
It admired that beautiful tone,
and wanted to enjoy music together, even just a little.
That was all it wanted.
However, for the sake of someone else's "happiness",
it suppressed those feelings.
As a result, it couldn't even do what it wanted to do,
was told by others "it's a happy ending because you survived the winter,"
and lived out its natural life.
But, is that reallyhappy?
🔵 Was the grasshopper really that miserable?
On the other hand, the grasshopper is depicted as a 'lazy playboy who makes no effort'.
People also say, 'They die because they live like that. It's their own fault.'
But, let's pause for a moment and
think about it.
In the first place,they wouldn't survive the winter anyway due to their lifespan.
They live their short summer lives to the fullest,
playing music, spending time with friends,
and passing on life.
To dismiss that as 'playing around' is itselfimposing someone else's valueson them, isn't it?
The ant has always lived by listening tothe voices around them, while the grasshopper has always listened to
their own voice.
Which way of life do you choose?
I do not choose the ant's way of life.
🍀 Happiness is not something decided by others.
🍀 True happiness is something you find for yourself.
Through this book, I hope that as many people as possible will
re-examine their current happiness
and live feeling true happiness.
With that thought in mind...
I wrote this story.
▼This is my debut work!
📘 'Again, on a Clear Moonlit Night: The Ant and the Grasshopper - Another Story'
🔽Hardcover
🔽E-book
Is the happiness you are chasing right now
trulythe happiness you desired?
Or is itthe happiness someone else desires?
I hope that along the path pointed out by your inner voice,
your own unique happinesscan be found.