A Photographer Living in Costa Rica and His Model: Bill the Ant
What is living in Costa Rica like? Outstanding and amazing in many ways and as a photographer I have seen the beautiful and incredible things right on my doorstep and this is an example of what I experienced.
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As you know we have leaf cutter ants in the jungle and they are a very busy lot who work very hard all day long. This is a story about their strength and persistence that happened one day.
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!
With care I 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.
Not faltering for a moment he continued marching around in military precision carrying his treasure. After more than an hour of watching and photographing Bill I could not help but wonder when he would get so tired that he would drop the match as I am sure he was panting by now, and believe me it is really hard to see an ant pant.
Without hesitation he marched around in military precision carrying his treasure. After more than an hour of watching and photographing Bill I could not help but wonder when he would get so tired that he would drop the match as I am sure he was panting by now, and believe me it is really hard to see an ant pant.
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!
Oh, if we could only be like Bill, willing to drop our light load and take on a heavier burden without complaint. There is a lesson here for all.
