so, i’m doing my morning yoga yesterday and it’s a lovely morning… the sun is hot as per usual here in colorado even at 9 a.m. i was resting in corpse pose, breathing in the quiet morning air, when i suddenly heard this scraping sound along the concrete. i had my two furry four-legged children out with me, but they were accounted for. so, i lift up my head to see what is the noise, and that’s when i connect with mister adam the ant. — as he’s dragging a seemingly no-longer-living “rollie pollie” across the small walk in my backyard. just like this :
i was a little confused, having just learned in that moment that perhaps ants are not vegetarians… hmm, curious.
anyway, i went and grabbed my camera…
and followed ADAM ANT along his journey…
he held on to his dinner with his front legs, and maneuvered his way with his back legs… pitter-pattering all across my “sidewalk” that has a very steep 4-inch drop…
and every time he’d get close… and think he could make it…
he’d change his mind… and scoot down an inch or two, and try it again…
until he got to the end, where my cat began to make eyes at him, and he snuck under my neighbour’s gate.
it’s incredible, to sit and watch nature, just doin its thang. i was so fascinated in watching him — so determined, so dedicated, and so proud – unceasingly dragging that thing back to his home. as i was taking photos, i glanced around at our rock garden he was avoiding plummeting into, and i noticed like three other little dudes running around, carrying various carcasses to their various homes for their three thousand babies, no doubt. one little ant had a daddy-long-leg spider, i was like, “go you!”
i mean, sometimes i think that i’m just so much of an old soul, that i long for a simpler life. one where our main purpose is to go out, tend to our yards, grow our food, care for our animals, pray for good weather, and enjoy company with those we love. the world we live in is so outrageous these days, that we hardly stop to think about how beautifully simple – LIFE ITSELF – really is.
this cleanse has really made me stop and notice the little things more. and photographing ADAM ANT’s journey made me smile inside – his whole purpose was to go forage for food… and by gah, he did just that. and last night, i bet the ANT FAMILY had a FEAST!! 😉 he didn’t give up, he was patient, he was determined, and he trusted that he would eventually get back home. when i accidentally flung him across the way {i was trying to help initially – epic fail!}, he just picked that rollie pollie back up, drug it BACKWARDS up the 4-inch drop, and continued marching along the “ravine” until he eventually left my eyesight.
what a lesson we can learn from mister adam the ant. you feel me?!
yesterday was so awesome — i got to hang out with cats, ants, birds, the wind, the sun, and my favourite 3-year old. it’s the simple things, really.
food & foto 
This blew my mind. ANTS EAT MEAT???
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right?! completely surprised me as well.
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oh wow, this kind of happened to me on Tuesday May 29th, I was kinda nervous waiting for an appointment, I was sitting on Ocean Parkway and I saw this large ant walking on the sidewalk with a tiny tiny crumb of food, it was so cool to see nature in action like that
5 minutes alone, no computer, no cell phone and I watched him walk
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what a great story! glad we shared similar experiences, even this far apart 🙂
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We can relearn what is truly important by observing nature. family, food, shelter. However the most important lesson is living in the here and now, not stuck in he past, about the meal that got away, nor wondering what is on tomorrows agenda.It takes a special person to see the beauty, as you did. kudos.
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i assume you’ve read ‘the power of now”? it is true. we as humans, have so much to UN-learn about life. our idea of it is so skewed. which is why it’s important to me to do yoga outdoors – i feel it creates a space all of nature feels comfortable in 🙂 thank you for the compliment, and for seeing me.
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At least they seem to be scavengers rather than predators. We’d have no chance if they decided to round up their posse and eat us while we slept.
As for slowing down and living the simpler life, the last few months I’ve felt like I’m living in an un-manned shopping cart hurtling down a steep hill. Then I got sick. I’ve been sick for a month and a half and it’s really made me slow down. I guess it must be my body not taking no for an answer. So now I’m waiting. Waiting to get better again so that I can do everything all at once.
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thanks for stopping by!
in mayan cultures, they do not believe in sickness. they call a person who is sick an “outcast” — their idea of “wellness” far surpassed ours. your body gets sick because it is telling you to slow down — i firmly believe that. it’s why we still can’t find a “cure” for the common cold. it’s because WE NEED THE COMMON COLD! society would have us believe that we aren’t allowed to slow the eff down!
it’s okay, go-getter, i get you. i carry the weight of the world on my shoulders and i have had to learn to pick my battles and it’s okay to “save it for tomorrow” if need be. gotta be good to you first! rest up, dear one – big change is brewing! 🙂
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p.s. – that’s not to say you are an outcast 😉 — merely trying to encourage you {and us all} to slow down
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What an awesome and inspirational post 🙂
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