Wednesday's Words on a Friday

 

Ants at a party.

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles. Sadly, Delores has now closed her blog forever due to other problems.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write. A story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.

If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along to read it and add a few encouraging words.

This month the words/prompts are supplied by Sean Jeating and can be found here

This week's words/prompts are:

1.long 2.monk 3.novice 4.spiritual 5.time

and/or:

1.ants 2.boy 3.compassion 4.stream 5.trapped

**Words for February will be supplied by Lissa on her blog

Charlotte has not yet supplied a colour for February.

Here is my story:

As a boy, Father Timothy had sat for hours watching ants in the scorched earth patch that was his backyard. He would drop occasional crumbs of bread and notice how they all worked together to carry any that were a bit large to the holes where their nests were underneath. Timothy learned that many hands make light work and co-operation was essential to the well being of the nest.

He watched as a stream from the garden hose threatened the nest and saw hundreds of ants swarming to drier ground carrying eggs away from the trapped queen underground. He carried these “teachings” with him throughout his growing years and put them into practice as much as he was able.

Father Timothy had been a monk for many years now, loving the calm the spiritual life brought him and helping each new novice adjust. But now, there was a problem. Timothy paced the garden paths throughout the Abbey for long hours, giving thought to how he could approach the newest novice. Martin was adamant about becoming a monk, but was constantly at odds with the rules and routines, seeming to have no compassion for others and wanting things done differently.

“Things have changed in the outside world,” he would say, “we must move with the times.” Perhaps he was right, thought Father Timothy. I should approach the Abbot and ask for permission to spend some time in the local town and see how things really are, I have spent fifty years behind these walls and loved every minute, but Martin makes a good point and change, even a small change might just be the way to go. I shall ask that Martin be allowed to come with me, and Father Terence too.