“Work likes an Ant, and happy like a butterfly”

By kan Tien Liuan, Translated by Evelyn Lee May 28, 2006

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Recently I read an article on “Work likes an ant, happy like a butterfly” I like it for its teaching. It mentioned about a mature lady who suddenly had the urge to take piano lessons, which was her dream when she was young. Nevertheless, at certain age, her fingers reacted slower than the tempo of the notes; her standard was like that of a kindergarten student. It was hard to bear the uneven sounds. 

One day, she asked her husband, “I would like to place a musician stature on the piano, which one is more appropriate? “ At this time, without any doubt, her husband answered immediately, “Buy the stature of Beethoven!”

“Why buy Beethoven?“Because he was deaf, and he could not hear anything! Ha! Ha!”At the age of 26, Beethoven’s hearing ability was greatly decreased after a severe influenza, he could not hear properly. For this reason his social activities were reduced to the minimum, he almost lived a secluded life, he spent all of his time in composing music.

Latter on Beethoven became completely deaf; he could only communicate by writing a note pad! Nonetheless, because he could not hear anything, he could not hear all the Critics and all the congratulatory words, he buried himself in the great composing of the classical music of all times. His most talented composing made him the world renowned composer as a musician.Beethoven died at the age of 57, at his death bed he wrote: “When I get to Heaven, I can hear then!” Most of the people when they are alive, they could hear, could speak and could sing how lucky they were! However, sometimes we criticize other people with our mouths or made malicious remarks. And sometimes we hear unfounded rumors and scandal. These gossips ruin our days and we became depressed. “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

In our daily living, we must maintain a good spirit, “A cheerful and humorous disposition under any circumstances and an optimistic attitude towards life.” With this mental attitude our spirit will not be crushed or influenced. “A stormy sea will be calmed!” Oftentimes our situations at the work place are not at their best; our marriage may be in trouble; our life in this world is full of ups and downs just like the waves undulating back and forth. But, “maintain a big heart, and the road before us is wide andsmooth.”  The storms and the winds will die down eventually. Learn to laugh out loud and the laughter will show on our faces, good luck will follow the amusing heart.

The South West Airline for a long time did not make “seating arrangement system” So the customers at the waiting area at the gate, looked around them to glance at the person they wish to sit next to him or her in the airplane. Ha! Ha! What a fresh idea of a “Love Airplane” Interesting and cute! Just imagine who would want to sit to a frowning face that was sad and unhappy?Therefore, we have to learn from “Work likes an ant and happy like a butterfly” attitude. When you work, work very hard like the busy ants, and yet take the happy attitude like the flying butterflies dancing among the flowers. This is a joyful life!

The Proverbs in the Bible teaches us, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” A person who works like an ant in the work place must be a good employee who works as a team, and finishes his or her work on time. He is a good team worker who never is alone; he is a people person who gets along well with person around him. Therefore, a person who works like an ant must be a happy worker. Let us talk more on “Be happy like a butterflies’. In 1972 the American meteorologist, Lorenz, who talked about “The butterfly Effect” In his thesis, he said in any structural system, if there were slight changes, the results were phenomenal and could not be under-Estimated.

This phenomenon is called “The Butterfly Effect” When a butterfly flies; it creates s light changes in the surrounding air pressure and these slight tremors change the air pressure and these continuous tremors continue to spread and expand. After a month, across the Atlantic Ocean, the Mississippi river beds because of the changes in the air pressure, the strong winds and storms occurred; Or the slight tremor by a butterfly dances in Peking, China creates the changes in the air pressures, across the Pacific Ocean,, Chicago therefore had a heavy rain.

This implies that at work or any industries or even in the churches, if only someone has the “Butterfly happy mood” it affects the whole organization.The butterfly has passed over the many obstacle races, so it is called the butterfly. Therefore the butterfly dances are light and cheerful; If this is the mood of our working mentality, we have reached the climax of any working environment.