WHILE we were relaxing one afternoon, a lone bee found its way into our living room. My children were scared and ducked for cover as it buzzed around looking for a way out.
Many people associate bees with its painful sting, but upon closer inspection, they're actually pretty phenomenal insects. Let me share with you some of their great qualities that we can re-apply in life.
1. BEES CAN'T FLY BUT THEY DON'T KNOW IT
Scientists have examined bumblebees and concluded that bees aren't built to fly. Their wings are disproportionately small, unlike birds. They can't support the bee's relatively huge body. Fortunately, this was only a scientific hypothesis and mattered little to the bees. Somehow, they've found a way to lift their huge body, defying all scientific logic.
Now, how many times in our lives have we allowed other people to say we can't "fly"? The moment we believe it, that's the end of our road. Let's be like a bee! Defy all logic and hypotheses out there and just fly away. Believe that we can do it and we shall achieve it. There'll be plenty of doubters, but only we know our true capability.
2. BEES LOVE A NICE SCENT
Once bees fly away, they don't waste time looking for useless things. They seek out the nice scent from flowers in the garden. They only go for clean, beautiful objects and avoid dirty and filthy ones. The flower pollen they carry to germinate plants have hardly any impurities, and the honey they make is uncontaminated.
People have used this phenomenon to compare bees with flies. The latter are known to prefer the opposite. They go from filth to filth looking for food, spreading diseases along the way.
Now back to our human world. Those who behave like the bee only see goodness in others. They see hope and opportunities, solutions over problems. They give proper feedbacks and are humble enough to accept them too.
Those who behave like the fly are always suspicious of others. They're often judgemental, spreading negativity wherever they go. They can't accept guidance from others for they think their way is the only way.
3. CURING POWER OF HONEY
The pure pollen and flower nectar collected are combined with the bee's own proteins and enzymes to produce honey. Honey is known for its amazing natural benefits, such as energy booster, immunity system builder and natural remedy for many ailments. It seems that honey gives more direct benefits to humans than to the bees. We should thank them for that. Let's make honey part of our daily diet.
4. ORDERLY COLONY
Honey can never be produced if the bee's colony isn't in order. Bees are known for having one of the most orderly living conditions among all creatures. Each colony member has its role and they work very well together to achieve a common objective. They buzz in and out as a way to communicate and encourage each other.
Organisations can reapply the bee's approach to create a harmonious and productive place. The key is in a clear definition of roles and responsibilities for each member. Empower them to do their job well and provide support whenever necessary. Create a fair system to eliminate any ill feelings, and we'd be buzzing with joy too.
So, there you have it! Isn't the bee a great insect? The next time you see it, please don't kill it. It's an amazing creation by God that can teach us so much!
Zaid Mohamad coaches and trains others to bring out their best while enjoying a peaceful, purposeful life. Reach him at [email protected].
