Ants and Creation

The ants left their colony late one morning and took a left turn instead who continuing on the straight line that was their usual route. Soon, they found themselves walking on a white sheet of paper that someone was writing on .

The ants were astonished by the beautiful script on the paper. A young ant, who could not see the fingers holding the pen, turned to the other ants and said: "Look at this beauty! See how pretty these shapes are that this pen is creating! I never knew that these forms could look so incredibly beautiful."

An older ant, who had seen a little more life, replied. " This beauty is a work of the fingers that are holding the pen. The pen is only an instrument in the hands of the fingers that are holding them."

"You are both wrong", said a third ant. This is the work of the arm. How could these skinny fingers create such beauty? Its only the work of the arm which makes the fingers move."

Gradually, more ants joined this conversation and started giving their views. Finally, the queen ant spoke up. " I don't think that this beautiful creation belongs to the physical world. All matter/ physical stuff is like a dream. It will vanish with time but eternal things like these are a creation of the spirit."

Unknown even to the wise queen, all creation is an act of GOD and it is divine will, love and intelligence which leads to manifestation of anything and everything.

THE END

Discussion Points

1. This is the story about who takes the ‘credit’. It is so relevant to our daily lives. When we are successful in something, We think that it is us who made it happen..But if we pause and think, we will realize that there is a much higher power who is working to make things happen. Without the divine will, nothing is possible.

2. When we fail at something, we are quick to blame several people/ circumstances / situations other than ourselves. At that moment, we should contemplate whether what we were trying was in agreement to the divine will.

3. When we come to the understanding that whatever is happening and will happen, it is the divine who is making it happen, we will find our peace. This realization gives us the strength to accept challenging situations in life. This realization also keeps us grounded when we are ‘successful ’.

STORY CREDIT: This story has its source in the six volumes of Masnavi by Jalalu'din Rumi, translated by Maryam Mafi