Hello to everyone in our beautiful hive, both far and near. Jazi and I hope you’re finding moments of peace and sweetness amidst the flurry of life. Change is happening all around us, whether we want it or not, whether we notice it or not. One thing we can depend on…change is inevitable.
You know, I’ve found it’s so important to take the time to see the little glories of nature to help ground me within the whirling realities of the world. I recently had a conversation with my physical therapist about this. He told me how he and his wife took their son to a beautiful park and showed him the view, the various plants, etc. I loved that. But I also encouraged him and his wife to get on their knees with their little one and point out the vast network of life underneath the leaves, on the ground, in the tiny holes in the earth. Helping children become more aware, smell the leaves of the plant, and actually listen to the sounds of nature can make an enormous difference. Finding life on such a seemingly minor level can open worlds of possibilities. I know this because, as I’ve said before, it’s what saved me in my childhood. I found the universe of ants to be entirely fascinating, and it unwittingly gave me a deeper respect for all of life. Anything we can do for our children, as well as ourselves, to open the door of awe and wonder is a precious gift.
Paying attention to nature can be a valuable resource when change becomes too stressful. Scientists point out that the nervous system, which is designed to protect us and keep us safe, can go into fight, flight, or freeze when our level of stress begins to overwhelm us. Being in nature, even looking at pictures of nature, is one way to help our nervous system return to a more stable state, calming us down if we have gone into a fight or flight response, or increasing our energy if we have collapsed into a freeze state. And I’m not just talking about grand vistas like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon. Stepping outside and breathing slowly while looking closely at a tree, a leaf, a rock, or the sky can help us feel alive. It’s marvelous the way our systems can be so attuned to nature—but then, we are a part of nature, aren’t we?
So, how does this tie into the title of this newsletter – “making way for the new”? Today I did something that’s always a bit sad for me. I had to remove the huge borage plant that had fed so many thousands of bees daily. It had come towards the end of its life cycle, and I had to make the decision to remove this beautiful, 4’x4’ plant, even though it contained a smattering of flowers. As in every year, I’d grown to admire and love this beautiful herb with its vivid blue, star-like flowers. But it was just taking up too much space in the garden, and I wanted to plant other things for the pollinators. So yeah, I definitely found myself mourning the removal of this plant that, over the many months, I’d come to consider my friend.
Imagine my surprise and joy when I looked out the window later and saw doves happily feeding in the area where the borage had been! In removing the old, I had allowed new possibilities to occur. It’s only when we let go of the old plants, old clothes, old ideas, etc., that we can allow new happenings. I’m finding the garden keeps reminding me of this important, life-long lesson of embracing change.
Do you think caterpillars get scared when they make their gargantuan change, or do they just accept it as the next step in their life? I’m playing around with another book with Jazi, who meets Sam, a caterpillar afraid of the changes he’s heard he needs to go through. But what do you think? In reality, would that little caterpillar be fearful, or would it just set out to create its chrysalis? When the bears go off to hibernate, do you think they sleep fitfully, worrying whether there will be food for them when they finally awaken, or do they relax deeply into their slumber?
In Bee-Coming Strong, MamaQueenzieBee encourages Jazianzza to bee-lieve in herself, and essentially to stay open to change. She was able to grow from being bullied to becoming the heroine of her hive by staying open to the possibility of change and by doing the simple practices MamaQB taught her. Sometimes we can forget the incredible power that lies within us.
By the way, speaking of change, I just have to share this brilliant cartoon here. I’ve had it for a few years now, waiting for the right time to show you, but I think it’s now or never. It actually portrays his casual attitude regarding his dramatic change. I’m not sure who the artist is. Someone told me they thought it might be Doonesbury, and I bet they’re right!
Jazi and I want to share a fun YouTube site we just recently discovered. It’s dedicated to all things bees and has lots of wonderful videos. It is a marvelous way to easily educate you and your younger ones about the life of bees. Here’s an example of one…
And one more short National Geographic video a friend shared with me. Watch this amazing way the Himalayan giant bees work in unison to ward off predators! Nature is indeed stunning — worthy of our awe and wonder.
I have a request for you. If Bee-Coming Strong has touched you and yours in any way, could you please consider leaving a review on Amazon, if you haven’t done so already? It truly makes a difference for people trying to decide whether the book is a good fit for them. If you click here and then scroll down the page, you’ll see a spot after the “Editorial Reviews” and the “About the Author” where you can leave a review. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy; just an honest review can be impactful. Thank you!
Again, thank you for bee-ing with us. We wish you a month of finding time to consciously spend time with nature, to allow it to calm you, delight you, and fill you up with wonder.
“In nature, we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it, and over it.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
And as always, please feel free to share this newsletter with friends who have children or grandchildren, or are teachers, caregivers, bee lovers, or anyone else you think might benefit/delight from reading this. They can subscribe by simply going to AnandamayiBaker.com and filling out the form.