Kill It Young: A Lesson From My Baby Rats

While growing up, I enjoyed having pets around me. I still do, though not as strongly as I used to be. I was such a pet parent that I would cry if anything happened to my dog or cat.

But today is not about my dog or cat.

It’s about one weird love I had for baby mice. Yeah, you read that right.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I loved that soft, innocent, pink, almost transparent skin of the baby rats. And whenever grandma was declogging the store, I was sure to see one or two of those cuties. She would always shout, ‘Don’t keep them! They’ll become harmful when they grow.' But the pet parent in me would not heed that advice.

One day, while I was rearranging my bookshelf, I noticed pieces of paper scattered across the shelf. Curious, I started checking to see what had happened. All of a sudden, something ran past me with the speed of light. My heart skipped a beat, but I kept searching and voilà! My favourite book on the shelf had lost its title from serving as daily food to my now-grown rats.

Then it dawned on me what grandma had been trying to say all along.

You see, those habits that do not look ‘really harmful’ will grow one day to be the giant rat that destroys something precious.

So, kill them young.

  • The habit of going to a place late; kill it young.

  • The habit of getting jealous at the success of other people; kill it young.

  • The habit of pushing a job meant for now to later; kill it young.

  • The habit of gaslighting people to make you feel good; kill it young.

  • The habit of poking into people’s personal life, not because you have help to offer but just for the gist; kill it young.

  • The habit of ‘eleventh hour’ arrangements; kill it young.

  • The habit of living above your means; kill it young.

  • The habit of feeling less of yourself because you can’t afford other people’s lifestyle; kill it young.

Just like my pink baby rat, they may not look harmful, but with time, they grow into adult rats and eat up important things in your life. And it may be too late to undo what those ‘unharmful-looking’ habits would have caused you.

Whatever habit you’re petting today, ask yourself, what could it destroy tomorrow?

✍The Expression Voice

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