Worlds Within Worlds

The Woman watched the ant struggling as her fork disturbed the soil where she had been clearing weeds.

The unseen world that lived beneath the earth which was oblivious to the human world suddenly awoke, as it was exposed to the Light.

Soon more ants sensing their world was under threat came rushing to the surface ready to defend it. Each ant courageously taking up their positions as they tasted the air. Each one ready to do battle with what must have felt like an earthquake as their whole world was turned upside down.

They swarmed to the surface, a mass of black, running around in what appeared to be confusion. Yet the woman knew they were far from confused and were rapidly assessing the damage and working out how to defend and repair their world. 

The woman squatted down, leaning on her fork as she sat back on her heels, she looked more closely at the mass of ants. She took off her gardening glove to wipe her hand across her brow as the heat of the Sun rose in the morning sky.

As she did, she noticed that an ant must have run up the fork handle and was already on her wrist. She made an involuntary movement with her other hand as she went to brush the ant off her hand, and in a split second the ant was no more. She said a silent sorry to the insect kingdom as she had unintentionally killed the lone soldier ant with her automatic reflex. 

 She sighed as she stood up, levering her weight onto the fork to help her stand. She stretched and arched her aching back and was aware of her shadow across the freshly dug earth.

She walked back to the garden shed, dragging out a wooden chair she placed it in the shade as she opened up her bottle of water, she drank thirstily thinking of the ant. How courageous he was running to defend ready to sacrifice for the good of the whole. And now his bravery was no more. Gone with the brush of a hand.

The Blackbird who had been keeping her company for days as she had dug the earth landed by the ants. Seeing his opportunity, he gathered more food for his chicks.  She had thrown him the odd worm over the days and the woman had seen his expert eye pick out the wire worms that she could hardly see.  He would fly off with beak full to return near the woman’s feet to see what else the woman had dug up and so the two worked in silent unity, respecting each other’s territory. The woman marvelled at the unspoken trust the blackbird showed her as he hopped so near her folk and hoe.   

Sitting watching the Blackbird gather in this new prize, the woman thought how her actions of turning the earth had set in motion a series of events.  She had a pang of regret. Then stopped herself, was not the black birds chicks now benefiting?

Life and Death went side by side.

Worlds within Worlds kept going around her head.

Were we not like ants? Building our communities and cities. Making our homes, rearing our young, each doing what it takes to survive. Were we not rushing about looking confused? In our chaotic world, as we rushed to work, and drove our cars along the routes we made.

We were all going about our daily lives, thinking ourselves safe, until something bigger than ourselves over which we have no control comes along to cause havoc and upheaval. She thought of the recent volcanic eruptions and thought how small we were compared to natures might.

She stood to begin weeding on another patch, giving the ants time to settle.

All of us are part of Natures Natural World we are no different than Ants.  And in the scheme of the Universe we were minuscule tiny atoms of carbon, floating about like molecules in the space-stream of the Cosmos.  A Sobering thought, as the woman knelt down, pulling up a stubborn weed. She shook the soil from its roots. Taking off her glove, she ran her hand within the soil, thinking we all return to dust, and pondered upon the miracle of life.

We were all made up of the same Elements of carbon and various minerals that were found in the Earth and Stars!.  She looked skyward, shielding her eyes from the Sun, and smiled, yes..

we are All One.

The woman wondered if the human population would be as resilient if their world were turned upside down like the ants..  

She tried to put that thought from her mind as she stretched her legs as she turned her attention to the job in hand.  

Worlds within Worlds, she thought.

Sowing and Reaping,

Harvesting what we Sow

Yes,  Worlds within Worlds

Wheels within Wheels Forever Turning!

The Woman started on her next patch, the Blackbird sang his Song, the woman smiled some more.

All is well in my world as she said her favourite mantra silently to herself,

 we were all of us heading in the same direction….

 Home!..

Note:- Thoughts that came while digging in our allotment.  For those of you who are interested in gardening, More Photos of the Allotment Plot and its progress can be found HERE

Love and Blessings