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On a warm summer’s day, Gerry the Grasshopper was dancing through the grass when he felt something hit his foot. He looked down to see Anthony the Ant who was carrying food on his back.
Right behind Anthony was Aaron, and behind him was another ant. As far as his grasshopper eyes could see was a line of ants carrying food on their backs.
Gerry said to Anthony, “it’s a beautiful day to play. Dance with me.”. Anthony said, “no time to chat” and marched off, followed by the army of ants.
Day after day, this continued. The warm summer breeze turned to the cool autumn wind. Scrounging about for food, Anthony was dying of hunger. As he lay on the cold barren earth, he spied Gerry and the other ants serving up food. It was then that he understood why the ants had worked so hard.
The moral of this Aesop’s Fable*: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
I love this story. And, I love how we can find support in this fable during the current state of emergency. As I work with people during self-isolation, I am discovering how many people are choosing to use this time to be stronger, wiser, or more effective.
The goals people have developed for themselves (whether working from home, unemployed or still on-site because they are an essential service) are inspiring.
I have shared with clients, a coaching tool I developed to help me through this challenge. It is simply 3-1-3.
• What are the three things I accomplished yesterday? • What is the one area where I am challenged? • And, what are my three opportunities today?
It is our daily challenge that gives us our greatest opportunity.
My husband and I use the 3-1-3 as part of our morning ritual. As I look at my daily calendar, I have a sense I am like the ant, preparing for the days of necessity so that once the state of emergency is lifted I have used this gift of time wisely, ready for what comes next.
*Aesop's Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE.
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