Thursday, 21 August 2014
The Grasshopper and the Ant - Revisited
I've noticed that I have some new readers playing here recently.
Adopting the environment friendly mantra of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce to new readers 3 old stories that I wrote ions ago.
These 3 stories can best encapsulate my current philosophy and outlook on life. This way, you don't have to sieve through my 3 and half years of postings trying to pin down who I am and what I stand for.
I saw someone used this Johari-window term recently. Yes, by being more open about myself, new readers can get the context and perspective of my posts better, once my bias and vested interests are known.
The first story and the one closest to my heart is:
The Grasshopper and the Ant
OMG! 2011?
Sometimes when bantering with my old readers, I'll call myself the Grasshopper.
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First time I read the story, nice. Not many stories stir my heart.
ReplyDeleteWe are all born ant. 10 years compulsory education, working.
We just awaken at certain stage to go through radiation and choose to be an ant or grasshopper, maybe even dragon or the sun.
What we are is not the crux to the matter, the crux is we choose and is happy with our choice.
If the ant is happy, he could have enjoyed and lived dozens of seasons.
Btw. OT a bit, I was a bit worries when I read the ant stay by the deadbed of grasshopper. I thought he might attract her sisters to carry off the corpse of the grasshoppers as winter supplies. Sorry, I know I kill the story... That's me..
sillyinvestor,
DeleteIt's important to remember that our ability to choose WHO we want to be is highly dependent on the social/political/economic system we live in.
People have been known to brave barb-wires, land mines, shark infested waters, razor-edged mountains to reach the land where they can CHOOSE.
It's OK, once we have reached the other side, there is no need for the vehicle anymore. I am sure the Grasshopper has no more use for his carcass.
Take!
Must reduce, reuse, recycle mah!
I wonder how many Buddhist will sign up for organ donations when they die? Letting go is hard...
Your zen level is high...
ReplyDeleteYour zen level is high... I like
Talking about leaving behind the body sack..
True, we should be glad that we can choose... But many who are in the land where they can choose might lament that it is tough to make choices. Irony isn't it
Talking about leaving behind the body sack..
True, we should be glad that we can choose... But many who are in the land where they can choose might lament that it is tough to make choices. Irony isn't it
Live to the max, has no correlation with how long you live. Some lived like the sun, always burning itself out for others ... But will be around longer than some planets perhaps
sillyinvestor,
DeleteRemember our bantering using Chinese poetry? That was fun!
You knowing Zen is a big bonus since I can write stuffs like "other side" and you would understand ;)
You know what?
All our angst about CPF can be solved easily. If only the majority of us can die around 65 like during our ah kong days.
Retire at 55, live 10 carefree years more, then bye bye. Where got worry about money not enough and rising medical costs?
Noooooo! We want to live forever and ever, and spend the extra time agonising money not enough, or finding more ways to steal from our grandchildren...
I love ants....the more the merrier.
ReplyDeleteWolfT,
DeleteOf course you would!
You egg layer you ;)
But watch out for the ant eater...
Hi SMOL,
ReplyDeleteI do like the lifestyle of the grasshopper, but I also want to live as long as the ant. How?
Maybe a good middle ground is to alternate between working hard and enjoying what life really has to offer. I am doing the latter right now and it's really quite shiok!
Even when working hard, the ant could have taken a night off or two to drink with the grasshopper. Maybe then, she could really have left with a smile. =)
15 HWW,
DeleteYou already got the answer with your 15 hour work week blog title ;)
Shh...
Hi Smol
ReplyDeleteMy first time reading the story too and it is a good one.
Shucks im really afraid my life is turning into an ant, I really wonder if there is a next continuation on whether the next ant will transition into the grasshoper type of lifestyle.
I wish to smile when the time comes.
B,
DeleteThanks! I appreciate it ;)
2011 I still blogging from Athens. I came back Dec 2011.
That was the story-telling, music DJ, and poetry writing phase of my blogging ;)
Stay tuned; 2 more stories to go.
More goal setting and planning may not help with that smile. What we do right here right now may matter more.
Honey, let's visit Venice only after I hit my X amount in Y years OK?
I'll spend more time with mom and dad after I retire... Promise!
Son, after I got my promotion I'll take you to the zoo. Here, look what have I got for you? A new Ipad! Now go play with it.
Ur story reinforced my new found idea of 中庸之道。There is no need to hold onto 1 thing to the grave and then can be happy.
ReplyDeleteSometimes its good to be ant. Then can take pride and delight in my work.
Sometimes its good to be a grasshopper. Wine and dine and be lazy. 醉生梦死。
At the end of the day, i will smile brighter than the grasshopper as i had enjoyed both good at different times of life.
Cheers. ;)
pf,
DeleteHey! Whatever makes you happy ;)
Can switch between Standard English and Singlish is jolly good fun!
Hi SMOL
ReplyDeleteBy day i seek to be the ant .
By night i am the grasshopper .
Small Time Investor.
DeleteSomebody must be drinking lots of Redbull!
Pace yourself ;)
Hi SMOL,
ReplyDeleteHeh, you reminded me of a promise I should have fulfilled 3 yrs ago. Here's a quick sketch of your story. Hope it does justice to you story :)
http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/13/53/42/16/img-1411.jpg
LP,
DeleteThank you very much!
Now got visual even better :)
Cheers!
Nice LP.
DeleteHow come you never offer to sketch for my stories? LOL
Haha, don't be jealous ;)
DeleteI promised SMOL 3 yrs ago that I'll do an illustration for him. It's just yesterday that I read his post that I saw my comments and remembered the promise. A gentleman got to do keep his words, no matter what :)
Haha, don't talk about helping you to sketch, I didn't even sketch my own stories! I haven't done any artwork for a very long time.
sillyinvestor,
DeleteI think you just gave men sandwiched between mother and wife a cringe like chalk screeching on the blackboard.
Oooooh, that's very "ku niang" - "How come you never...."
LOL!
Hmm...
Delete"How come you never" gu niang?? I thought its very manly...
How come your never hand in your homework?
How come you are never punctual
How come SMOL never share trading ideas??
LOL .... It is a accusation...
sillyinvestor,
DeleteMen say WHY?
Why you never hand in your homework? To be extra mancho, we add the menacing - huh?
Or why you so like dat!?
Girls say HOW COME?
How come you don't say you love me anymore?
How come your shirt has lip-stick smear?
Why I no share trading ideas?
It's because I'm just a pretty face ;)
OK, I'll put a mental note and write about it as part of "Peeling the Onion".
What if the Grasshopper didn't die quickly in the long winter?
ReplyDeleteCW,
DeleteThen the Grasshopper will die very S L O W L Y.
Hi SMOL,
ReplyDeleteWhat would the grasshopper say to the bumble bee who mistakes herself as a housefly, buzzing around crap instead of flowers? :P
Endrene,
DeleteI won't say a thing.
I'll take the bumble bee to a bath house first, then after she's all cleaned up and revealing her original yellow and black stripes, I'll introduce her to new bumble bee friends amongst the flowers.
It's up to her to make the connection.
Her life; her choice ;)
Hahaha, Sometimes it doesn't matter whether she lives her life as a bee or a housefly. Her life doesn't reside in the noun. It does in the verb.
DeleteThanks for not taking her to the mad house instead.
A toast to the grasshopper!