Lessons from the Kitchen

Today, I watched a group of ants plan a strategy and execute it with surprising precision. They had spotted a cockroach in the corner of the kitchen. The cockroach, confident in its long legs, believed it could easily outrun its tiny pursuers.

But the ants had a meticulous plan. Four would chase the cockroach toward the corner and wait for it to start climbing the wall. Six others would emerge from the crevices halfway up to finish the kill. If they failed, the cockroach would be redirected back toward the first four ants. Success was assured or so they thought.

As the first four ants advanced, the cockroach did the unexpected: it revealed its wings and took flight. I felt both relief and sadness. The cockroach had escaped, yet the ants’ failure was palpable. Out of pity, I left them tiny morsels of food. They accepted it but seemed disappointed. Even in the animal kingdom, failure is hard to bear.

It made me wonder: can animals act out of despair, or is such folly unique to humans?