Bee Family

Author Unknown

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Honey Collection Casualty

My dad has bees. Today I went to his house and he showed me all of the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off of a 5 gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could help them and he said he was sure they wouldn’t survive. Casualties of honey collection I suppose.

I asked him again if we could at least get them out and kill them quickly, after all he was the one who taught me to put a suffering animal (or bug) out of its misery. He finally conceded and scooped the bees out of the bucket. He put them in an empty Chobani yogurt container and put the plastic container outside.

Because he had disrupted the hive with the earlier honey collection, there were bees flying all over outside.

Left Aside

We put the 3 little bees in the container on a bench and left them to their fate. My dad called me out a little while later to show me what was happening. These three little bees were surrounded by all of their sisters (all of the bees are females) and they were cleaning the sticky nearly dead bees, helping them to get all of the honey off of their bodies. We came back a short time later and there was only one little bee left in the container. She was still being tended to by her sisters.

Found Alive

When it was time for me to leave we checked one last time and all three of the bees had been cleaned off enough to fly away and the container was empty.

Those three little bees lived because they were surrounded by family and friends who would not give up on them, family and friends who refused to let them drown in their own stickiness and resolved to help until the last little bee could be set free.

Gold is in the Giving

Bee Sisters. Bee Peers. Bee Teammates.

We could all learn from these bees.

How Do You Do Family

When someone in your vicinity seems to be destined for failure, death, or social exclusion; how do you react? Do you throw up your feet from the spectator seats with popcorn? Do you loudly whisper to the nearest spectator your previous suspicions of their impotence? Maybe you’re one of the few who roll up your sleeves to get in the thick of reviving the fellow? May this story of the bees support you in your efforts to rouse, revive, and restore!

When Family Doesn’t Family

Family, much like people, can bring as much light and joy as they can sorrow and shame. Whether you need an additional hand cleansing residual honey, a family therapist may offer insight and specialized support not possible from a general counselor.

Recovery of family of origin (FOO) baggage is possible. A Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist can promote wellness and balance in your journey. Joyful Journeys Counseling offers qualified providers trained to join you in the process. Schedule your free phone consultation today.