You know how they say that everyone has a superpower? (It's a thing, I promise!) A very long time ago, I realized that nurturing is mine; I have always loved to encourage those around me to follow their interests and make a difference in the world no matter how big or small they or their dreams might be.
It struck me recently that the definition of nurture, "the process of caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone or something," is the exact definition of what it means to be a honeybee. Honeybees live in colonies that function as a single organism, each honey bee working for the good of the whole or something other than themselves. They nurture their young and provide for each other. Equally as important, they nurture our planet's health with the gift of pollination that helps to support an entire ecosystem.
I have spent years nurturing others, students in the classroom where I've taught pre-school, volunteering in classrooms at the elementary level, working as a birth and postpartum doula, being a friend, a sibling, and of course, a mother. I can't claim that my nurturing tendencies have had or will ever have the same impact on the earth as the fantastic honeybee. Still, I think that it's part of the reason I love beekeeping as much as I do; I believe that no matter how big or small any one person or living thing is, they can positively impact the world around them.
July 23, 2020