Remember the story of the ant and the grasshopper? What a moral. These fables are wasted on the kids. It’s when we become adults that we comprehend the underlying meaning of the stories. Funny!
The ant worked hard; always toiling, and in this story, was preparing for the winter ahead. The grasshopper thought it all foolish. “Why bother?” he said. “We’ve got plenty of food at present.”
When winter came, the grasshopper found itself dying of hunger, while watching the ants distributing the foods that they had collected in the summer.
There are so many lessons here.
Ask yourself. Are you a grasshopper or an ant?
Most of us are somewhere in the middle. We slide from one role to the other and don’t give it much thought.
In our affluent society, we can identify the grasshopper easily. He thinks the food or gas, or seeds, or power supply will ALWAYS be there. After all, it always has been there during their lives, hasn’t it? Just run to the store, or the gas station. If you need it, buy it! Get today what you need today, and don’t worry about tomorrow.
Throw things away and buy new when you are tired of it. Buy on time. Don’t work any more than you have to. Today is the priority.
Then, consider the ant. He is careful how he spends his money. The ant prefers storing up some reserves; saves money, tries to find the best bargain, makes do with what he has. The ant doesn’t need a “new” gadget every time one turns up. The ant knows that bargains and sales are ALWAYS there. No need to rush, rush, to buy and be sorry later. The ant works hard and has learned that the 8 hour work day is a luxury that is not his.
Personality types can be categorized in this story of the ant and the grasshopper. Research shows that artistic people, entertainers, explorers and such do not care about finishing their work before enjoying themselves. They can drop what they are doing to have a leisure experience. They like to live one day at a time, and impulsively follow where their heart leads.
Those personalities who are diplomats, analysts, mediators, etc. tend to strike a balance between work and play, with a stronger tendency to work more than play.
And then, there are those ants! These people work hard so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labor later. They are very strict about themselves and their work, and do not have a carefree attitude about life. They follow through and push the extra mile. The extreme ant is likely to be successful in the long run, but may seem to have a dull life.
Warren Buffett, billionaire, is an ant. He still buys his morning breakfast at McDonald’s every day. He loves to work, and his wife gives him spending money. He is grounded. And Mr. Buffett understands that tomorrow is coming and he plans for it.
Here’s my point and observation.
America’s schematic is changing. There seems to be more grasshoppers; this group wants a cushy job, 9-3, three-day weekends, HBO, and a Starbucks on every block. Heck no, they don’t want to go back to the office in the evening.
Preparing for the future? Are you kidding? This is the good life. It will always be this way. Let everyone come to the party.
The ants, in the meantime, are busy gettin’ it done. Those ants that are not afraid of hard work, preparation, and self-denial are going to prosper. “To the victor belongs the spoils” William L. Marcy 1836; spoils being the goods, and benefits taken from the loser.
This part of the U.S. has not given itself over to the grasshopper philosophy. Oh, we are all grasshoppers at times. And it is OK if we can remember that the ant’s thinking is where the success begins.
Mid-America is more predominantly made up of more hard working, down to earth ants than grasshoppers. The parent/family crowd is running its tail off trying to balance work, kids activities, feeding their families, and somehow embracing the down to earth values.
Mid-America has not given itself over to the grasshopper philosophy, yet. And let’s be honest. We are all grasshoppers at times. However, we might remember that the ant’s effort is where the success begins.
I hope we never have to get a slap in the face with a depression or famine, a loss of comforts, or plenty. I hope we don’t find that winter has arrived and we were not prepared. But, if we do, this area is the place to live.
God bless America.

Judi Tabler lives in Pawnee County and is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune. She can be reached at bluegrasses@gmail.com. Visit her website juditabler.com.