The Ant in All of Us

Back again...Smile...it's not all that bad !!!


While traveling thru my usual uneventful days, I noticed something recently that as usual most will not take note of or even ponder about. Small and insignificant that it is, maybe, it is really something important to all of us or should be!

As most of you know, I live in Florida, where the insects reign supreme and I am a 'live and let live' kinda guy; so the 'bugs' and 'I', get along very 'co-existingly' !(is that a real word ???..lol ) ( actually, the 'bug' issue is no worse than any other place ) So…yes, this is a 'bug' story…lol :).

Just recently I re-grouted my master bedroom bathroom double wide shower tile floor, not because it needed it but because I had laid a new tile floor in the main bathroom and had some left over grouting and didn't want it to go to waste. As usual, both jobs came out terrific, leaving the master shower spotless. The other day, I took note of a very small, teeny, tiny, nearly invisible 'no see-um ant' (commonly called for a 'sugar ant' ) crawling in the far corner encompassing no more than 4 one inch tile squares in any direction; never exceeding it's imaginary 'boundaries' ,but repeating it's 'path' nearly identical on each pass; as if it was 'programmed'. It would crawl up the wall at the corner along the grouting joint only about as far high as it would travel on the ground and then turn around and repeat the process all over again. On occasions it would 'fall' from the wall, lay dazed for a few seconds and then repeat this process over and over again. I must have watched this 'little guy' for 'hmmmm' about 45 mins (simple minds for simple people…lol …no comments …please!...lol) just to see what it's 'goal' was. All within this time it never varied it's determination to 'complete' whatever it was 'set out to do'! I'm not even sure if I know where or how this 'little guy' even got there because the house is usually 'bug free' and they know the 'outside' is where they belong. (smart bugs in Florida….lol) Since, the tile was freshly grouted, cracks and holes which might enable them to surface from the cement slab below was totally eliminated. Needless to say, I left it be and went on with my daily 'busyness' and forgot about it. The following morning, I recalled the situation and glanced at the corner where my eye caught a little 'brown speck' laying motionless. Apparently, the 'little guy' never gave up till all if it's breath left him and it never accomplished it's goal.(find a way to get back to the nest…I presume!! ) This made me 'think' more so than my very 'busy mind' usually is.
I wondered how this behavior would be if applied to all of us. You know, doing a 'job' , no matter what, or how difficult it is, till it's completion! The phrase 'get the job done' comes to mind. I am aware, as most of us are, that that kind of 'tenacity' is lacking in our 'character' for the most of us. ( generally speaking….no hate mail please..lol :)) It used to be considered a wonderful 'character trait' back generations ago. Where did it go ?? Can it be re-instilled within those of us currently still breathing for our future generations to take note of or is it gone for good? Obviously, 'the little guy's tenacity and determination' killed it and I am not suggesting a mass suicide campaign via such a trait, but…….shouldn't we have some sort of 'drive' to 'accomplish' even on a 'personal level' ?
Some sort of 'out of the box' thinking, instead of being 'programmed' to do only what we think 'should be done' or even yet, minimumly what 'has to be done'? What ever happened to 'going the one step beyond' ?
Needless to say, I grabbed a single square of toilet paper and 'wiped up' the still remains of my 'little guy', wondering….. would any other 'ant' miss his 'strong will and determination' to aid in the larger cause of 'survival? Sadly to think….probably not!

So when you 'crunch' one of those 'little guys' ..just remember….perhaps they too can teach us something....if only one looks !

Till next time America…..Smile and be smiled upon….perhaps someone is watching !
Always
Smugs.
Steve

PS: Now where was my mind....lol ....meant to wish all a 'Happy Thanksgiving'...hope all is doing well. As far as what my plans are....I don't have a clue, but perhaps I'll spread some 'bread crumbs' in the backyard so all my 'little guys' can have a 'feast of their own' along with the squirrels, birds, snakes and the rest of nature! :).... It's the little things in life that are worth 'watching'..now isn't it ? :) lol .....SMUGS!!