My Promise to the Ants

My Promise to the Ants

            Last month I was at Ghost Ranch Conference Center in New Mexico attending the Seminary of the Wild.  We had been discussing and experiencing the Wild Earth, the Wild Self, and the Wild Christ. Toward the end of the week, we were sent out onto the land to be and listen and be present.  I decided to return to a great cedar tree that I had sat under earlier to listen to who or what would speak.

            As I sat there, fire ants started gathering around me.  I could see a huge fire ant mound about twenty yards away and wondered why all these ants were gathering around me.  Much to my surprise, they picked me up and began to carry me toward the mound.  I was not at all sure how they were doing it or why.  They were not gentle as they dragged me over several sharp rocks.  I thought about just standing up but decided to see where this ride would take me.

            As the ants got closer to the fire ant mound, I wondered if they thought they were going to take me into that mound.  I don’t know how it happened, either I shrank, or the mound got really big but somehow they took me up the mound and down into one of the entry holes. Down we went, deep into the earth.  Ant mounds are a large series of different paths going off in different directions but the path these ants chose took me straight down into the chambers of the Queen.

            The Queen looked at the ants who were surrounding me and asked, “Is this the one?”  One ant responded, “he is the one you sent us to get.”  The Queen looked at me and said, “Mother Earth is hurting, grieving.  I need you to speak to your humans because they are causing most of the pain.”  “Me?” I responded. “I am only one of 7 billion.  What am I supposed to do?”  “We ants are doing everything we can to bring healing to this Earth.  Each ant does what he or she is to do.  That is all that is being asked.  Do what you are being called to do.”

            I stood and looked at the Queen, not quite believing all that was happening.  I thought about what was being asked of me – to work with humans for the healing of the Earth. I looked at the Queen Ant and said “yes, I will speak.  I will do what I can.” “Thank you,” she replied, “and as a reminder I will send out my ants to remind you. Whenever you see an ant, think of the promise you made this day.

            A couple of weeks ago I was standing in my backyard barefooted, enjoying being outside with the dogs.  Suddenly I felt a bite on the top of my right foot.  I looked down and saw one ant on top of my foot.  And I remembered my promise. I begin this blog in part to fulfill that promise I made to the ants that day.  I will speak about the crying, grieving Earth.  That will require I speak of hurt and pain and what that hurt and pain is.  I will speak of my own journey into the Wild and the Wild Self, Wild Earth, and Wild Christ I encountered. My promise to the ants asks that I remind all of us that we are not alone on this Earth.  The ants and all other species are watching.  They are doing their part.  Will we do ours? We must do ours.

Clay “Wild Mustang” Brantley