Cousin Jay-Jay: Let the ants clean up after our mess.
That was a probably the most profound statement from someone who didn’t have much respect from his maternal side or sufficient education. This was long ago (around the 1980’s) when some ants made themselves known in our house. Maw wanted to exterminate them. I didn’t want them dead.
Today, I still remember what he said and have contemplated well on the ants’ purpose all this time. They are not considered pests to me, no longer enemies but ‘friends’ for letting me know that I’ve not cleaned the surfaces of the kitchen counter well or some crumbs on the wooden floors.
In fact, the ants teach me to clean up the surrounding areas and carefully around them at the same time, respecting their spaces as the ‘scouts’ leave unharmed, unless old timers squash them underneath their merciless fingertips!
I’ve seen many come and go. I’ve stepped on many, burned maybe one or two with a magnifying glass and drowned a whole colony living underneath the cement where I was washing out the parakeet cage with soap and water a few days ago.
They carried their little eggs, their future, only they died along with them due to the rainy season and the cold air. Many more died earlier this season when Maw drowned them in soap and water. The babies were happily sipping the sap from one of our growing tree vines.
Most of the time, I ask forgiveness, each time I see them hurt. Whenever I see more pesticide being sprayed, I could only cringe, knowing that they too feel pain. I remember drowning some in the sink last year. They were in and out of the drain hole.
But for whatever reason, I made ‘contact’ with one. I placed my left index finger and allowed some sort of telepathy to occur with its small antenna. I prayed that I didn’t mean to hurt them and that they should look for a new home but not in our bathroom sink. I saw in an open forum discussion thread how ‘they’ had picked-up my thoughts about these ‘ants’.
The following day, the ants disappeared. I keep sending my ‘prayers’ to please forgive my actions and hope that they will find food. I had always thought of feeding them sugar water. But not even water melon rinds would make them stop looking for food inside a warm house. I think they prefer dead insects, like flies. It has more nourishment and protein, too.
So after reading that article by ‘Red Elk’ via the ‘EY’ website, I know well about self-sacrificing. I know well when to stop putting myself into debt for others without killing my sanity, thanks to Pete and pals, whom I keep mentioning! Good night!
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