The Ant Who Looked Up
Once upon a time,
an ant who had long made his home at the root of a tree
asked to be assigned to work among the high leaves and branches.
Having been granted his wish,
the little ant was astonished by the great difference he found between the tree at its root and the tree at its branches,
as all that he knew were based on his experiences at the base of the tree.
Though overwhelming at first,
the steady routines of life in his new home began to set in,
and the little ant began to appreciate the view his new station provided him.
Until one day,
when the little ant overheard a group of ‘high-leaf’ ants
discussing the root of the tree:
“What I’d like to know,”
said one high-leaf ant to the others,
“is how the 'bottom-of-the-tree' ants put up with all of that swaying back and forth.”
This discussion deeply troubled the little ant,
for he knew very well that the root of the tree is as unmoving
as the great earth itself.
Before long the season passed,
and the little ant's time to work among the high leaves and branches
came to an end.
While preparing to make his way back to the base of the tree, though,
a rush of understanding flooded through the little ant,
and he knew what he must do.
He made his way
to the top of the tree
as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Once there,
the little ant did something that ants almost never do:
The little ant looked UP!
Were you to make your way to that very tree tomorrow (whether to the root or to the branches),
you would probably not find the little ant at home,
for he rarely has time to be in any one tree for very long.
You see,
having imagined what his tree,
and more, and more, and more trees might look like to the sun,
the little ant felt a great need to teach other ants to look not just from the root or from the branches,
for to do so is to ensure that the tree they see
is as they themselves are.
The little ant who looked Up! tells stories of life among all the different parts of a tree;
and one day, when the other ants are ready he will teach them to look Up! too, so that all of the ants might finally see the tree
as it is.
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