Photo by Boris Smokrovic on Unsplash

Someone asked a bee, “Do you not feel upset when man takes all the honey from you which you make with so much hard work?” The bee replied, “They can only take the honey that I make, but they will never be able to make honey, collecting nectar from flowers, and convert it to honey, like I do!”

Each time I hear this story I feel a gush of motivation, an admiration for selflessness and respect for hard work. Pondering further on this story, there is so much we can learn from the life and work of the bees. Come what may, the bees go on making honey, go on working hard, visiting flower to flower to collect nectar for their hive. Throughout their life, the bees work tirelessly collecting nectar, bring it back to the hive, clean themselves, and then set out for more. They make so much more honey than they actually need and man takes most for himself, yet they still go on making honey.

There are so many times in life when we feel cheated by people we might have trusted too much, or let down by people we had faith in, or angered by people we loved the most, disappointed by people in whom we had much hope, and so many more failures of our expectations. These are the toughest times of trials and sorrow, because we might start doubting on our abilities, our capability to trust, to believe, to love, to hope, to expect.

But then we need to optimistically look at the brighter side of the picture, and survey the scenario in the sunshine. It wasn’t because we trusted, that it was broken. It might be because our trust was not in the right person. It wasn’t because we had faith that we felt let down. It might be because our faith was not placed correctly. It wasn’t because we loved that our heart was crushed. It might be because we didn’t love the one who deserved it. It wasn’t because we hoped that we were disappointed. It might be because we were not hoping for what was best for us. It wasn’t because we had expectations that we failed. It might be because we didn’t put in the required hard work and effort to accomplish what was expected.

And when we look at this brighter perspective, we learn how to do things differently. We learn how to approach relationships with caution and to weed out the unnecessary relations and nurture the relations that mean the most to us. We learn to embrace those relations with all the love and care and affection and time we can give.

Let us strive to be like the bees, who put in everything they have, all their energy, all their time, all their efforts, into creating the sweetest of honey.

Let us strive to be like the bees, who put in everything they have, all their energy, all their time, all their efforts, into creating the sweetest of honey. The honey that nourishes the weary, brings sweetness to life, provides strength and health. And even though we give away all that we have, we are still left the potential to do it all again, over and over again. And that talent, creativity, energy, intellect, is something that no one can snatch from you. It’s yours and yours alone! You are the life in you, and no one can alter that life without your consent. So when people try to harm you and your talents, or try to bring you down, remember this too, that bee stings are not pleasant!!