The Angry Cheetah's Lesson

    By Kristi Erasmus

    The Angry Cheetah's Lesson cover image

    25 Jul, 2024

    a painting of a cheetah walking through a field of tall grass with trees in the background and a sky with clouds, furry art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, official art

    In the heart of the savanna, a cheetah named Chacha was known for his quick speed and quicker temper. Every day was filled with bouts of anger for him.

    a painting of a cheetah in a field with birds flying around it and a bird in the background, furry art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, furaffinity

    One day, Chacha got furious when a flock of birds disturbed his afternoon nap. He roared and chased them away, but this only made him feel more annoyed.

    a painting of a cheetah standing in a river with trees in the background and a sky with clouds, fantastic realism, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    Chacha's friend, an elephant named Elly, watched him from afar. She saw him get angry easily and noticed how it made him feel worse.

    a painting of two elephants and a cheetah by a watering hole with a baby cheetah, fantastic realism, an oil painting, Brothers Hildebrandt, highly detailed oil painting

    "Chacha," Elly said, "Your anger doesn't solve anything. It only causes more problems. Instead, try to understand why you're angry and address it calmly."

    a painting of a leopard standing on a rock in a river with trees in the background and a stream running through the middle, american scene painting, an airbrush painting, Brothers Hildebrandt, highly detailed oil painting

    Chacha was confused. He had always thought that showing his anger was the right way to express his feelings. But Elly's words made him think.

    a painting of an elephant in a river with other animals in the background and trees and bushes around it, fantasy art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    The next day, when a group of monkeys accidentally knocked over his meal, he felt his anger rising. Remembering Elly's words, he took deep breaths and calmed himself down.

    a painting of a cheetah in a field of grass and trees with the sun setting in the background, furry art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, sun

    The monkeys apologized and helped Chacha find another meal. For the first time, Chacha didn't let his anger control him and he felt much better.

    a painting of a mother and baby elephant in the wild with a baby cheetah in the foreground, sumatraism, an airbrush painting, Brothers Hildebrandt, wildlife photography

    When he met Elly later, he thanked her for her advice. "I realized my anger was not helping me, but was only creating more problems," Chacha admitted.

    a baby elephant and an adult elephant are standing near a pond at night with the moon in the sky, pop surrealism, a storybook illustration, Chris LaBrooy, storybook illustration

    Elly smiled at Chacha. "I'm glad you understood, Chacha. Remember, it's okay to feel angry, but how we react to it is what truly matters," she said.

    a painting of a cheetah sitting on a rock in the water at night with a full moon in the sky, furry art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    From that day forward, Chacha learned to manage his anger better. He understood that reacting in anger only made things worse.

    a painting of a cheetah standing in the grass at sunset with trees in the background and a sun setting, furry art, an airbrush painting, Brothers Hildebrandt, photoreal

    Chacha now faced each day with a new understanding and a calmer disposition. The other animals noticed the change in him and admired his growth.

    a painting of a cheetah standing in a field of grass with the sun setting behind it and trees, furry art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    And so, Chacha the Cheetah learned a valuable lesson - that anger does not solve problems, but understanding and calmness do.