What Good Termites

What good are termites? It was the kind of question I was hesitant to answer, because of course the final answer was not going to be liked by the inquisitor, not at all, not that it's all good, which it is, and that's the short answer, but answer it I did. To answer it I gave a very simple explanation of ecosystems, so simple that really, it was about how trees grow, because the "termites help to break down wood for decomposition, or at least their gut bacteria do" was met with "but isn't wood good?", so indeed, we had to get into ecosystems, and that if the wood was not broken down, the nutrients would be not be returned to the soils, the trees could not grow, no "good" wood produced. What kills me is that I didn't even consider another "good" of termites, because to me it's all good, one that she so would have understood, more than wood, she would have, for sure, is that termites also feed the birds, of course they do, those birds she so loves and understands so easily the good of, or good to her, just as she understood the good of the beautiful flowers that had been sent that day. But ultimately, what I did say, the question I asked, the final answer, I gave it, yes, just to leave her with something to think about, the answer being "What good are humans?", a question much harder to answer sometimes. But no, I can answer that one, I'm sure of it, we are the species that is clever enough to recognize what good are termites.

​I'm sure of it.