A Photographer Living in Costa Rica and His Model: Bill the Ant

My life in Costa Rica has been an outstanding experience with a variety of adventures and events. I have photographed a number of beautiful and incredible sights and this is just one very small example of how close I live to it all.

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We all know that there are leaf cutter ants in the jungle and they are responsible to bring leaves to their nest. Listen to this story of the strength, persistence, and dedication to duty of one ant.

In his travels across my driveway, in front of my most beloved flowering tree that he and his friends were devastating, a leaf cutter ant we will name Bill picked up a matchstick, you know, one of the wooden ones. This brave soul dropped its leaf and started to carry the match upright as if it were a leaf. Very impressive!

I carefully picked up the matchstick thinking that I would lessen the load. And incredible as it might seem, Bill did not let go and was picked up along with the match, his little feet still trying to march away.

I carried Bill and the match to the terrace of my house, all this time just holding the match. When placed on the terrace Bill just kept on marching to the beat of his own drum going around the chair legs however remaining on the terrace.

Without hesitation he marched around and around like a soldier carrying his flag. As a photographer I watched and photographed in amazement for over an hour and could not help but wonder when he would drop the match and go on his merry way as he must have been panting by now, not that you can see an ant pant, believe me!

Now I realize their stamina and persistence when they march like an army carrying their leaves back to their nest. As Bill became very tired I eventually was able to take away the matchstick and he was freed from his load to go back to, what else, carrying leaves.

Life is hard for all of us but are you willing and ready to drop a small item to carry one that is monumental? Bill the ant did. What a creature!

Who among us would drop a light load to carry a very heavy one for our team? Think about it and what we can learn from this wonderful creature that we often take for granted.

Frank Scott writes from sunny Costa Rica where he is a professional Costa Rica Photographer offering one-of-a-kind photography tours. Some of his work can be seen in Costa Rica Vacations, a very popular travel guide to this one-of-a-kind country. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.