The Generation Of Ants, Our Heaven Comes True

We sometimes describe a hard worker as an ant.
Ants busily work all the time to construct their kingdom.

Photo ‘Karijini Eco Retreat’
by O Chul Kwon (www.astrophoto.kr)

Ants are known as the only animal, except mammals, that teach each other. “Guiding” ants guide ones that are inexperienced in finding food to food and slow down for the following ants from time to time to lead them to the destination. Another interesting point is that each of the worker ants who contribute to constructing the kingdom has their own roles. Their professions differ by size; the biggest worker ants cut off tree stems, the middle-sized chew leaves, and the smallest take care of mushrooms, their valuable food.

Ants eventually construct their kingdom by carrying out their jobs, helping and working together. Wouldn’t it be the time for us to stop making only thoughts and words but carrying them into action to really construct the “kingdom” like “worker ants”?

<The Generation of Ants, Things We Need to Think about>

1. One task at a time – Eat when eating, work when working and only sleep when sleeping.

Our brain can actually perform a task at a time. Because we have a lot to do and our mind gets busy, we often try to perform many tasks at the same time. Even those moments, the brain seems to perform multitasks at once but actually takes each of them alternatively. We need to earnestly look back at ourselves to check whether our mind has only been busy thinking instead of taking actions and verify that the outcome corresponds to how busy we have been. Why don’t we change our strategy to actually acting out rather than only thinking and talking about what to do? That is, the life in which we eat when eating, work when working and sleep when sleeping.

2. Doing your best

“To do one’s best” means to make one’s effort intently with all his heart. To do intently means to pour all his heart in one thing so that he has no other thoughts. It is exactly how ants are; keep working without rest. Work hard so that only work is present without the self. Work with all your heart and passion. In order to do so, your mindset must be always sincere and truthful. This is how we have to be.

3. Belief and conviction

Like the kingdom is established for hardworking ants, we need belief and conviction that it will also be so for us. With that belief and conviction, you will have power and courage to overcome whichever circumstances and conditions you get to face. And thus, you will be thankful and joyful every moment. When such belief and conviction are with you, you will be able to guide those that are behind and lead them together to the destination, just like guiding ants do.

4. Laying down the “self”

Doing one at a time, doing your best, and working with all your heart and passion, with belief and conviction… There is a prerequisite before all these requisites for becoming a worker ant to construct the kingdom. That is, laying “you” down.

Accomplishing your role by the big will of the whole world, rather than making “you” a priority or following only your desires, thoughts or plans first; just like each ant has its own role. Lay down the “self” you’ve held on to. Become the world and do your role that the world has given you. Wouldn’t it be the prerequisite for being a real worker ant?

Change all of the old styles with which nothing had been achieved and work in practice, rather than only thinking and talking about it, to actually accomplish the kingdom. If we follow such an ant and work hard for our role given in our own places; and if we lay down “ourselves” and work together as “one,” our heaven will be accomplished.