Small, tiny and miniature are but some of the most synonymous descriptions that one would associate with an ant. It is the most underestimated creature in our society and is barely recognised for anything other than its stature. Compared to everything else, an ant seems like a mere speck of dust – often disregarded and a casualty to inattention. However, even ‘Horton hears a who’ has taught us that a speck of dust harbours fascinating and mysterious qualities which often go unnoticed. These qualities were foreordained so that these bijou critters would be great soldiers of formidability- the embodiment of a fascinating oxymoron.
In retrospect, I have never paid much heed to these creatures. I often thought that the life of an ant was ridiculous. How bittersweet it is to know that the act of procreation, will subsequently result in a pre-ordained quietus. I didn’t want to fall prey to the perpetual cycle of performing laborious tasks day-in and day-out or be a slave to hierarchy. I didn’t want that monotonous lifestyle or just to be known for my petite stature. However, my perception of ants has changed recently. I have given thought to many things that we generally disregard and one of those was the life of an ant. Many people take for granted its true embodiment of perseverance, loyalty, determination and diligence. These insects are one of the most hard-working life-forms that exist. By persevering and carefully navigating through a labyrinth of risky situations, they constantly risk their lives in the quest for food to ensure their colony’s stability.
With the ability to carry twenty-times their own weight, they annihilate the stereotype of the tiny being weak and circumspect. If anything, they should be considered as strong contenders for the most robust terrestrial creatures. Why does all this matter though? Well, it applies once we can relate it to our lives. If I were to be compared to an ant, I would be honoured instead of being offended. It would mean that I am minute but mighty, faithful in the relationships I hold, an altruist by nature - sacrificing and putting the needs of others before my own - and capable of carrying burdens twenty-times my ability, whilst continuing to soldier on. With a valiant, doughty and mettlesome vigour, succinctly portrayed in ‘A Bug’s Life’, I would be proud to hone even half the tenacity that they do.
Whenever we feel angsty and dripping beads of sweat; we shouldn’t fold and succumb to our circumstances but rather rise above our challenges and embody an ant. Sounds ridiculous? I know but read further. Too often in life, we permit melees, conflicts and other external factors to suppress our optimal performance. We allow these to lambaste our self-esteem and condemn us to stagnation- with no motivation or hope. We become victims of monotony and discontentment. Our lens of perception becomes foggy and we become blind-sided easily. We enter a state of desolation or get sucked into a void of merely existing. We tend to co-exist with our arid mentality and emotions because our souls become exhausted. At this point, we should initiate a buoyancy mechanism to prevent our own self-destruction. We should embody the characteristics of an ant and persevere through labyrinths of despair because, like an ant, we are strong enough to carry more than what others weigh us out to be.
Image source: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/405183297697560911/
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