Ants

I first discovered sand lions at Boy Scout summer camp. As we walked, and walked, and walked, the boredom set in. I begin to notice little things when I get really bored.

At the edges of the sandy trails were dozens of small pits in the sand. They looked like inverted volcanos. I inspected them and noticed ants occasionally slide into a pit. The walls were steep, and the loose sand made it too difficult for them to climb back out. At the bottom of the funnel, a dust-up occurred. Some monster snatched the trapped ant into the abyss.

I was told that these creatures are called sand lions, or antlions. An older boy even taught me how to catch them. I learned a lot at summer camp. Not everything I learned turned out to be really useful. I learned to catch sand lions and kept some. Briefly.

Sand lions dig a hole and wait for their meal to show up, which happens about 22 times a day. Another eater of ants is the aptly named anteater. Anteaters claw through ant mounds or rotting wood, seeking their food. Comparatively, they eat 35,000 ants a day.

Sometimes, I am a sand lion. I sit, often unhappily, and wait for an ant to drop in my lap. This method only works if I am situated amongst a steady stream of options. Sometimes, I need to be the anteater. I need to get up and go find what I need. It is much more work, but the opportunity is greater. If I find myself complaining about a shortage of ants, my direction is probably clear.

In this situation, should I sit and wait? Or should I go and find? Can I pause to intentionally make the correct choice?

Be curious, be kind, be whole, do good things.