Meet my little friends

I have realized that the time I am most productive is when I am doing nothing. A situation with no to-dos at hand sparks my brain to think ‘out of the box’. I usually begin noticing details that hardly catch my attention when I am hurrying around to finish off some task.

I was waiting for my colleagues to wrap up their week’s work and arrive (as I needed to ride back home with them), so that we could all leave together. I would any day prefer waiting in the fresh outdoors rather than the air conditioned confines of the office, and I chose a nice shaded spot under a pleasant tree right outside my workplace building. My mind was preoccupied with a lot of the day’s incidents (mostly unpleasant), and frankly I was tired of thinking about them. So I zapped off and started to look around for something interesting to devote my attention to.

It’s funny how the best things in life are always free. I didn’t need to go for a movie show and spend my dollars to take my mind off things. I happened to notice a bunch of 50-60 ants, hurrying and scurrying around. There were two groups of ants, one going from east to west, and the other in the opposite direction. They moved like it was a matter of life or death. They walked, or rather ran, with zealous enthusiasm. The only thought on their minds would have been to reach their goal. I have no idea why they were running around in that fanatic manner. I didn’t see any food that they were carrying. So I couldn’t fathom what their goal really was. But surely they were soldiers on a mission.

Their paths were nicely set, and except for a few outcasts (who were just circling out of the standard path and really going nowhere), the rest of them traversed steadfastly on the path. It was amazing how each knew exactly where to go. I suddenly felt two little devilish horns pop up on my head, and I decided to break their rhythm. I picked up a tiny dried leaflet, and gently placed it in their path. I wanted to observe their behavior, and the results amused me.

For the initial few seconds or so, there was complete havoc. Confusion reigned as each ant behaved differently. At first they couldn't understand how their calculations went wrong. This leaf was not intended to be in their path, and they had not planned on what to do if it does! Their team work went for a toss, and most of the ants couldn't get through the leaflet, and started to retreat.

I did break the rhythm alright, but not for too long. Ants or no ants, these guys were not to be taken lightly! Giving up was not an item on their agenda. They soon got together again, and this time they split the path into sub-paths. One group started to climb over the leaf, walk through it, climb down again at the other end, and resume the rest of the path as usual. The other group found a very tiny space below a curvature of the leaflet, and with a little detour, they were able to make it from below the leaf onto the other side. This time they made two possible paths, which as per my understanding was for backup sakes. If one fails, they have the other to fall back on. Smart guys these ants! It took them hardly a minute to get back to doing what they wanted to: hurrying and scurrying around for God-knows-what.

Soon I saw my colleagues appearing with their tired and frustrated demeanor. I, on the other hand, felt fresh like a dewdrop! I wish I had a grain of sugar on me that I could leave my little ant friends as a token of appreciation.