[Seasons: Spring XIX]
Bees are amazing creatures that live and work in community. Here’s a list of some of their roles. Here’s another list of five more.
As I learned about bees and their various responsibilities, I made an erroneous assumption: all bees are born to work for the common good of the hive and then they die. Having observed them now for a few years, I’ve noticed something else they do that falls within the boundary of important tasks but outside what we might consider work.
They dance.
And play.
In the sunshine.
Every hive has about a dozen different jobs for resident bees. All of them are important; all of them must be done with precision and efficiency for the hive to survive.
And then spring arrives. As flowers bloom and fruit trees blossom and the work becomes more demanding, the bees find more (not less!) time to flitter and dance for joy in the sunshine. It seems that enjoyment is equally important to the health of their community as hard work.
It’s not overindulgence or hedonistic.
They are simply dancing. And playing. And filled with life
At the center of real health is work and play.
Sweat and smiles.
Grunts and laughter.
Sunshine helps too.
