Today I saw my first scorpion in the garden. Earlier I almost did a face plant into the web of a golden orb spider. Tonight I think I was bit by a dengue mosquito. None of this overly bothers me. What causes me great irritation are the many bites on my legs and arms from the teeny weeny ant that thrives in the soils here!
So I ponder on how it’s often the littlest things that, once again, can leave me the most uncomfortable. I’m pretty quick to deal with large issues in ‘my world’. Yet a quick passing comment from a friend can leave me devastated and in tears. I can be annoyed at someone’s behavior and think I’ve let it go only to find that hours later it’s festering away and distracting my thoughts; just like that annoying urge to scratch those bites that plagues me as I type this.
I think those little ants are going to keep bothering me during my daily routines until I acknowledge that it’s time for me to to become more aware of the little things that irk me. Those things that I pretend are too small to be of any real effect. As I learn to pay more attention to what’s crawling at my feet, I will start paying more attention to those little habits and reactions I indulge in. They do have consequences.
Today I noticed that my face hardened for a moment because one of the dogs ignored a request I made of her. At the greenhouse I berated myself for forgetting to bring something with me that I needed. Sitting outside a grocery store I went into poverty mode and didn’t buy a pastry even though I was hungry. Those are a few ‘little things.’ The dog is learning and I could be more patient, I am not deserving of beating myself up over forgetfulness and I can afford to treat myself if I’m hungry. Such little things, just like the ant bites but they have potential to fester and bother me long after they occur.
The ants are teaching me to pay more attention to the little annoying things in my day. I know to deal with the big things. Those little momentary pricks of displeasure however, may add up faster than I realize. I’m soon staring at the reflection of those little itchy red spots that are covering my feet and legs. There’s a saying I keep hearing, “Be mindful.” I’ve decided to be more mindful of those tiny ‘insignificant things.’
I can almost hear people thinking panic a little as I type, “You’re wasting way too much energy on such trivia.” I reply, “Keep it simple.” Mindful means just that… remain mindful that such things exist and can fester. Instead of ignoring them I want to be aware, spot their presence and acknowledge them. I can’t always avoid the ant bites but I can at least become more aware. Less energy is spent this way.
nanceeshares 
I had the same experience with midges this summer! It’s true that little things make a big difference, and I still let small irritations get to me far too much. Better to focus on the small pleasures – if only I can take my own advice!
PS – just got your message on my email! I found the link to your blog on someone else’s blog, but shamefully I can’t remember exactly whose it was – I don’t want to suggest a name in case it’s the wrong one, but I think it was another animal carer 🙂
I’m thinking that it was Lady Pinkrose (Amy) on Petals Unfolding. I just started this blog (publicly). Amy has ‘rescue’ cats :).
OH, Nancee, how true your words are. Keep up the great work!!!Try “talking” to those ants telling them you honor them, but not to bite you. Try it. And have confidence that they will listen to you. 🙂
Love, Amy
One of the first things I remember of your posts at the “Pond” were about talking to the mosquitoes. I hadn’t arrived in Costa Rica yet and was so intent on doing that with sandflies (as I thought I was heading to Ecuador at the time). Of course the ants bit me before I realized they existed here… then I scratched (big no no) and the itch set in around the clock for days now which distracts me from remembering to TALK to them. Now I do talk to those Dengue mosquitoes. My friends here have both suffered from Dengue Fever and the one almost died from it a week before I arrived. (2 strains hit at once). I rarely have them come near me!! SO… I will attempt to forget the itch in my ankles today and TALK to those little cuties as I’m going to be working on their turf… prepping the fence line for the eventual arrival of chickens here at Eden Atenas. hmmm I will remind them too that chickens rather like bugs and I’ll put a good word in for them with the chickens if they’d like! (Kidding on this last part I don’t like to threaten.) ~Nancee
so interesting dear Nancee….sharing these new found experiences, & I’m sure they All are most challenging for you ! The thing about the macro world where the ‘bugs’ live…much of this world is quite foreign to us, but in fact they know much more about the Earth than we do !…possibly you being foreign to their little world has stirred a re-action response, but certainly not a pleasant one for you ! From All my experience with gardening, with nature…it always works out best when we work with nature & not against it….maybe by taking a few extra moments & observe these tiny ants, & work with them…a solution can be found….just a thought for you to ponder on ! Wishing you a happy & sun-filled glorious day in the topics !….LOve & Life, Bev~
Thanks for the encouragement with the wee ants. I grew up playing with worms, frogs, garter snakes, flying crickets etc. I highly respect the ants and am trying to give them time to vacate their homes now if I have to dig where they’re established (like the compost pile). I even scooped as many as possible to a spot near by that I was willing to compromise on :). I didn’t get bitten today so perhaps we are starting to reach a solution, plus I got my post made. Now the cutter ants are truly amazing but if they don’t change their location for devouring the beautiful specialty plants they will get poisoned out. They travel from the lower field (where we don’t plant) up into the special gardens and destroy the shrubs. They also fascinate me. There a big ones (probably cutters?) then medium red ones who head up in the morning. It seems the smallest ones actually carry the leaves all the way down the hill to their nest! Again I don’t like seeing them killed (and I don’t control that decision here) but so far all my requests of them to move haven’t worked! Then there’s the hornet’s nest we worked around all day… they were so polite but we really have to clear the brush they’re hanging from. It’s always a tough decision because I learn to appreciate them leaving us alone and don’t want to see them destroyed! Any suggestions? Would you believe that I have the really tiny ants living in my laptop keyboard!? Every day one or two come out. I catch and release beetles, wasps and spiders but I can’t do that with something this small!
How does one get around not taking the lives of our these little ones?
p.s. Thanks for commenting on the dark… very well put!
Nancee, when it comes to ants if they come near the peripheral of the house or in, I do eliminate them. Carefully and with respect. Due to the ants on our property we do not have fleas, for ants eat fleas. Common sense tells me, if I allow ants in our house, this will not be comfortable for me. I count too. I “speak” to them, encouraging them to keep a safe distance from the house, and over the years, I have seen a big improvement.
Wasps. You do not want to mess with them, for they are aggressive. Again common sense, Nancee. They do not bother me, yet over the summer they invaded the hummingbird feeder to the point I had to take it down. I have enough flowers for the hummers, so I wasn’t concerned they would go hungry. I was concerned my cats would get stung, because cats love to chase anything that moves. So here again I spoke to them, but they exhibited very rude behavior, so bad that I witnessed two at once fighting to the death over this bird feeder.
Unless you have a magic wand, in a garden, especially in a geographical area as you now live in, you must make it very clear to the insect world you are in charge. Yes, you are willing to work with them, but if they insist on aggressive or inappropriate behavior, one must do what one must do to stay safe.
I know insects can communicate, Nancee. I worked with Japanese Beetles again for years, and this past summer, I barely saw any. And those I did see, they very respectfully ate and mated in one area of my gardens. So I left them alone and thanked them for not bothering my roses. Most of my roses did not flower, but those that did, were left alone.
Always listen to the Heart. If you must send these small fry to the Rainbow, know that they served their purpose. I do carry bees out of the house, and flies out of the house, and spiders out of the house, but when it comes to ants, no. That is where I draw the line.
My Veterinarian is really learning from me, because she is not able to believe that my cats do not have fleas, and yet they go out. Every time one of them goes in to see her, she runs the flea comb through them and nothing. They are healthy as much as they can be with the “limitations” they have, and because we keep chemicals to a bare minimum here, the Balance of Nature is Pure. Even our neighbor the farmer, uses no pesticides in his fields. And believe it or not, his barn has no fleas either.
Respect. Communication. Be willing to work with the insect world. But also know your limits.
Hope this helps. Amy
Hi Nancee!
Thanx for sharing your thots here. I am delighted you emailed me and I am able to visit your blog. As I was reading this particular one, I too was filled with the questioning of a confused mind desiring to feel the peaceful heart. I believe ALL experience is a direct energetic fit to who I am BEing.
I love your recognition of the pain experienced and then ignored because of the smallness or the logic of the experience. I too have been accused of ‘making a big deal out of nothing’, however, if I truly know ALL is a direct reflection to my loving me, then why would I ignore anything that reminds me there is a part of me I am not loving in the moment? Bliss-ings to You, My Dear Friend. I am grateful for the reminder.
Loving You!
Carmen