Zenon and the Ants

Life, dear chums, is often a dance of perspectives. On a sunny corner of an ancient wall, there lived a lizard named Zenon. Zenon was a master of meditation, known throughout the wall for his ability to hang motionless for hours on end, eyes half-closed, seemingly in a state of ultimate focus.

One bright morning, an army of ants began their daily march from one edge of the wall to the other. Among them was Scouty, the lead scouting ant, who had a sharp eye and an even sharper tongue. As the ants bustled along, carrying bits of food and leaves, Scouty noticed Zenon, as always, hanging effortlessly on his favorite spot.

"Look at that lazy bum," Scouty scoffed to his fellow ants. "Just sits there all day, waiting for prey to fly by. We, on the other hand, are the real workers. We run around collecting our food, tirelessly contributing to our colony."

The ants chittered in agreement, their tiny legs scurrying faster as if to emphasize their industriousness. They glanced at Zenon, some with pity, others with disdain.

Zenon, however, remained unfazed. His focus was unbroken, his mind attuned to his inner peace. He heard the ants' chatter but chose not to react. To him, their constant running seemed more stressful than his stillness. He thought their comments stemmed from arrogance or perhaps a misunderstanding of his purpose.

"Poor Zenon," whispered one ant to another. "He must be so stressed, just hanging there all day, doing nothing."

"Yeah," another ant agreed. "Or maybe he's too proud to admit that our way of life is superior. He thinks he's above it all."

Zenon, still as a statue, reflected on the ants' behavior. He saw their tireless running as a sign of their own stress, a never-ending pursuit of tasks that never truly allowed them to rest. He thought it arrogant of them to assume that his way of life was inferior just because it was different.

Yet Zenon didn't say a word. He continued his meditation, his focus unwavering. For Zenon knew that true wisdom often lay in silence, and true strength often lay in stillness. He understood that his path was not about proving others wrong, but about maintaining his own peace and purpose.

And so, the ants marched on, convinced of their superiority, while Zenon hung on the wall, a serene symbol of quiet determination. Each saw the other through their own lens, and perhaps, in their own way, each was right. But Zenon, with his unshaken focus, knew that the real truth lay beyond the noise and bustle, in the calm heart of the storm.

-- Pradeep K (Prady)