The Social Ant

             Recently, I was very bored and found myself studying a long (really long) line of ants as they moved in one accord towards…I don’t know where.

I tried to follow the very long line up to where they were going because I was curious about their destination, but the line disappeared from sight at the back of the wardrobe. So short of ripping my wardrobe off the wall, I had to give up.

It made me smile though to observe their level of dedication to their task. I wondered what they were up to, where they were going, what they talked about, who was the team leader? Who got them to stay in line with such intense dedication and discipline? Then I wondered if they were all attending an event? Or were they migrating to their new home?

Ants, to me, have always been such sophisticated creatures. Their level of intelligence is mind-blowing in how they are so coordinated. To think they are one of the tiniest creatures on earth? Amazing!
However, today’s post is not mainly about how disciplined ants are, I want to focus more on another aspect of the ant that I believe hasn’t really been explored before:

Ants are social creatures. 
Ants don’t stay in one place for long. They travel.  I don’t think they move around so much because they are being chased. No, I believe ants move around a lot because they want to. Because they like to. Because it’s interesting and healthy when you change location sometimes, to see what else your world has to offer, to see what more is out there, to see things from other perspectives.

When last did you go somewhere different? Meet someone new? Force yourself to have a real conversation with a stranger you admire other than liking and commenting on their Instagram or Facebook posts? When last did you put your phone aside and actually LOOK UP/AROUND and SEE your environment, the people around you? Do you realize you don’t even have to go very far to have a new experience? There are many places you can go to, pay a visit to, to enjoy something refreshing.

At the very least, leave your house, go sit at any Recreational Park, put your phone down (Unless it’s to take a selfie with the new friend you’ve just made), look around you, enjoy the breeze, breathe in, breathe out, buy popcorn to chew and just be in tune with nature, say hello to someone (it won’t take anything from you to offer a greeting or start a conversation), smile deliberately, laugh at the silliest antics (don’t be so hard up and conscious of yourself that even to really laugh in public is a social faux pas for you). Do this for a few hours, then you can go back home.

Ants love team bonding.
If you take time out to study a line of ants going back and forth, you’d notice that at intervals, the ants coming back, stop to chat (I imagine) with the ants moving forward. I want to believe they’re just stopping to say hi because it’s nice to do so no matter how busy you are.

When last did you spend time with a group (a group can be just three of you, it doesn’t have to be 10) of genuine friends? I’m not talking about you guys sitting around a table and tapping on your phones while sharing a box of pizza. That’s not ‘spending time’. I mean actual talking, gisting, laughing, catching up, yapping each other, having fun?

These days, even companies have to forcefully organize weekend events like Team Bonding activities just to force colleagues who work together every day,  to actually get along and love one another. I mean, if you say you are a team, why do you need to be coerced or forced to bond? Doesn’t it defeat the whole meaning of ‘team’ in the first place? Just sad. Meanwhile we have the tiny ant doing it effortlessly.

Ants enjoy team work. 
There’s nothing as funny and as beautiful to see, than observing a team of ants working and coordinating perfectly to lift a grain of rice to their home.

 If you’ve never seen ants moving things before, then PLEASE go look for one, even if you have to search for a video of it on YouTube. Ants are the best at team work, no one does it better than them (In my opinion anyway). I believe the reason why they seem to be so successful at it is because they get along so well. It’s all about the group’s success, not personal gain or fame.

When last did you put personal interests aside and lend your strength (physically or mentally) to a good cause? There’s a lot happening around us, a lot we can contribute to, a lot of good causes we can be a part of, a lot of good ideas in our head that we know someone else might just need to move ahead, when was the last time you helped someone (or people)? Especially someone (or people) who can’t pay back?

And you did it just because it was the right thing to do, not for Instagram pics or any other social media nod to ‘how good you are’ ?  You know, putting a smile on people’s faces is more therapeutic for the soul than sitting in front of a Therapist. Don’t get me wrong, seeing a Therapist is good, talking to your Pastor/Priest is good too, but making others smile, cry for joy, solving problems for someone else when you have the power and means to do so? Incredible mood lifter!

You say you are a social person, but are you? Are you truly? What does ‘Social’ mean to you?

Proverbs 6:6; Go to the ant thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise.

Cheers to the Happy life Darlings!