Today I was inspired by honey bees.
The very first memory I can recall was of beehives. I was 3. My uncle had brought several big white box hives to our house on 53rd street to keep in our backyard. My Grandad also kept bees on his property in Eastern Oregon for a very long time. A few times honeycomb was retrieved for us to enjoy, straight from the box. I remember being fascinated by it all.
As we know, bees are a very important part of ecology. It is estimated that to produce just one pound of honey, the average hive of 20,000 to 60,000 bees must collectively visit millions of flowers and travel the equivalent of two times around the world. One honeybee's contribution to the hive is only about one-twelfth of a teaspoon! Even though one bee might seem insignificant, each bee's contribution is vital to the well-being of the entire colony. They are hard workers, always busy being productive members of their society. Each bee has their part to do.
Bees are a symbol of what many hands working together can accomplish. A group of individuals with a common goal for good can make a big difference in the physical, mental, and spiritual health of a community.
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| Bee boxes on Lewis Brown Farm, Corvallis, OR Photo by Dwight Brimley http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/farmunit/lewis-brown/gallery/beebox |
In the future, when I am able, I would love to keep bees. They are not only necessary for pollination and the health of the ecology, they are also a great reminder to me about how I make a difference.
Even if my contribution is only 1/12 of a teaspoon.
