A good ant

If I were an animal, I would be an ant. I would certainly be a good ant, because I would definetely give my best in maintaining an ant’s good image.

We ants are good workers. We make use of all our six tiny legs no matter which season of the year. We highly value quality despite quickness, precision work and tidiness. Punctuality is obviously fulfilled, every morning we squeeze our bodies into the crowded train to work. We reach our destination without bumping in each other in the full chaotic crowd of ants. For many of us, our day begins and ends with work. Extra shifts instead of holidays. Energy drinks instead of sick leaves. We are incredibly resilient. It is told that an ant can carry a weight more than ten times our own weight. All that is capable is not always necessary though … next to me, an ant collapses. We are currently becoming more aware of the importance of working slower and healthier.

We ants are the best in team work. Politeness and respect stand above all. Often living in symbiosis, we live very cooperative. We are trained to express our own opinions without creating a fight. But sometimes we would rather take a step back than participate in any argument. We avoid fighting alone and standing up for ourselves.

We ants are unbelievably adaptable. No matter the environment, no matter the weather, no matter the circumstances, we are able to adapt. We live in soil, under leaves and wood. Our antennae is our most important sensory organ. Their function is not restricted to tasting and smelling, but we are able to sense temperature differences or measure carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. We are great in actively perceiving our surroundings and choosing our words accordingly. We call this ability “reading air”.

We ants always stand together. Sometimes there are floods, landslides, storms, that damage our home. With our claws we hold on to the ground, even if the ground shakes. In such crisis we stick together and try our best to help eachother. We stick to our normal rules in emergency cases aswell, to reduce the chaos and confusion.

Sometimes other insects laugh at us, they say we are insignificantly small, seemingly replacable, we look all alike and behave alike. You live in the crowd and all walk in the same direction, they say. No one dares to walk independently in another direction, they laugh. But did you really observe us well?

We ants are unique, varied and absolutely loud in our own ways. Creative, extraordinary and endlessly diverse.

I am proud to be an ant.