After living in Costa Rica for over 8 years I can only say that life has been outstanding. As a Photographer I have photographed a number of beautiful and incredible sights and the following is a small example of how close I am to amazing discoveries and You may know we have leaf cutter ants in the jungle. They are very hard workers with a very important job to do and I have a story about the strength and persistence of one of them.
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! I wanted to lessen his load so I carefully picked up the matchstick. Astonishingly Bill would not let go and came with the match, his little feet trying to get traction in the open air.
I carried the match, with ant, to the terrace of my house and put it down thinking that he would let go. I guess Bill was looking for his marching band, because he began to march around with the matchstick held high weaving around chairs and tables but remaining on the terrace.
Without hesitation, he marched around and around in military precision carrying his flag. I watched and photographed him for over an hour amazed and wondering when he would drop the match and go on his merry way as he must have been panting by now, not that you can see an ant pant, believe me!
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! Sometimes when the ants become a problem and invade areas of my home as they do in a tropical country, I think of Bill. Then I step back and cannot help but admire what an incredible creature the little ant is.
