In May of 2011, I was visiting my sister-in-law, Phyllis Adair-Ward, in Indianapolis and went to one of her writing classes. While we waited, we admired the peony flowers all covered with ants. We were talking amongst ourselves when one of the professors came up and asked us if we knew why there were ants on the buds. We didn’t know and then he said something that stopped me in my tracks.
He said that the purpose of the ants was to “worry” the buds until they opened up to their full potential. I like symbolism, and I thought that all of us at times have had “ants” in our lives that have “worried” us until we have reached our full potential. Now, stay with me on this.
Stop and look back at your life.
- Was it that marriage that made you consider a job change or even divorce that allowed you to move in a direction you had never considered?
- Was it that unsupportive parent who didn’t give you what you needed and you then decided, “Dat Gum It (Can you see that I am from Iowa?), I’ll do it myself and show them?”
- Was it lying flat on your back, sick as a dog, that you prayed to God to help you and if he did then you would do more with your life?
- Was it that child who broke your heart and who ultimately taught you forgiveness and letting go?
- Was it being “re-sized” or “downsized” or simply “booted out” from that job that you gave your heart and soul that resulted in your finding a brand new career?
We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, “Why did this happen to me?” unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way. ~Author Unknown
In the final analysis, we have to thank the “ants” in our lives, who worried us to blossom into our full potential.
Wow! Sometimes you read something and it really opens your eyes. We all need to stop and take notice that there is a little bit of good in every misfortune that comes our way. It can’t always be “why me”. Thank you so much for posting this!
Wow Bea, congratulations on your life. Kudos to all women. Thank you for
I love this outlook on life. Imagine if there were no “ants” to “worry” us. We may complain about them, but we need them more than we’ll probably ever realize.
Love this! So true. All we need are eyes to see and ears to hear!