Once upon a time, far, far away…

O.K. It was today and it was on Facebook. A friend posted a very old Disney cartoon titled – Silly Symphony – The Grasshopper and the Ants. I’m sure you know the story. If not, I’ll break it down for you.

1. Grasshopper goofs off all spring and summer not wanting to do much but play on his fiddle.

2. Ants work hard during these months gathering food for the cold long winter.

3. Ant warns Grasshopper that if he doesn’t work too he will freeze and go hungry come December.

4. Grasshopper doesn’t care and continues to have fun playing his fiddle while the ants all work.

That pretty much sums it up. Growing up I knew of this story. My mother read it to me and I saw it in cartoons. It has a great message. Work hard and you’ll be provided for. Right?

Then I watched the cartoon again as an adult today.

At the the end of this 1934 Disney version, posted below, the “lazy” Grasshopper finds his way through the snow and ice back to the Ant’s front door. He is let in and the Ants warm him up and give him some food. The Queen of all the ants, referred to as “Queenie” by the Grasshopper, makes her way over to him. The Grasshopper is humbled and asks that she not throw him back into the cold. Queeniw says “With Ants, those who work may stay.” At this point you think, damn, that lady Ant is gonna throw him out. Then out of left field, she hands him the fiddle and asks him to play (I’m assuming he is the entertainment for the rest of the winter.)

Once I finished the cartoon the question hit me. Would I rather work half the year doing something I hated (ie. carrying large amounts of food none stop into my house preparing for winter.) Or something I loved to do (ie. Play the fiddle) none stop all year round.

Answer: Play the Fiddle of course!

The past few weeks we have been super busy at kitestring. I have joked a couple times that I haven’t slept in 18 days (18 is usually my exaggerated number when I’m describing things). Even today, Jenn had to peel me off the computer to go for lunch.

Yes there is a lot to do. And that’s good. What’s even better is that I’m working on some of the most creative and challenging projects we have had as a company. From the full illustration of a board game, a campaign for a large Arts organization in the city, branding a children’s store (this will be our 4th!) to planning a Social Media Social.

I love what I do. I love the people I do it with. I love the projects I get to work on. If I have to work, it might as well be playing a fiddle and doing just that for as long as I can.

Take it from this Grasshopper; Do what you love to do and do it for as long as you love it.

The End

About the Author: chris
These are the musings about a business brainchild contained within a creative confectionery of a mind. His blog entries often look at how making friends and building your brand online is a lot like making it on the playground.

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