The Girl Who Helped the Bee

There once was a little girl around the age of ten who lived in the country with her mom. She spent much of her time outside swinging, riding her bike and climbing anything that would hold her. The large Weeping Willow tree and the garage were her favorite things to climb on. 

But most of all her all time favorite thing to do was think.  She loved to sit and think.  She loved to stand and think, climb and think and even ride her red 10-speed and think.  She would go outside sit on the swing, climb the shed and stare out into the corn field just to think.  Sometimes she would even head to the pine trees in the far back of the property and sit on the large boulder.

She would think about normal kid things like why does anyone eat celery? And where should I hide my peas when I have to sit there all night until they’re gone? And how much peanut butter can I get into my mouth at one time?

She would think about serious things like what do I want to become when I grow up? Where will I live when I move out? And will anyone ever love me?

On this particular Saturday afternoon, she decided a trip to the lake to collect rocks would be ideal. It was warm and sunny outside and being cooped up was not her thing. She yelled, “MOM I’m going for a bike ride and I don’t know when I’ll be home. I have things to think about.”

She ran to the shed and grabbed her trusty red 10-speed bike and hopped on. She carried with her a red shoulder bag to help her carry any small treasures she could find. One time last summer her brother and she caught five crayfish and put them in the bag to bring them home as pets. Just for your information this is not a good idea as crayfish need water to live and stink when they are out of water for too long.

This time she didn’t really have anything to think about. She just wanted to go for a ride and maybe find some treasures to bring home. But as you know it a thinker cannot truly be at peace unless she is thinking.

She reached the lake in record speed. She leaned her bike against a small tree and took off her shoulder bag. She forgot her suit but had on shorts that were short enough she could wade in the water.  She was not one to tiptoe into the water because it might be cold. She would rather run in and get it over with. So off she ran into the water splashing all over her clothes, which didn’t bother her since she would just have to stay longer until they dried.

She was picking up shells and colored rocks in knee deep water when she came upon a bee struggling to survive. She watched him for a second to see if he could save himself upon deciding he couldn’t she promptly scooped him up and walked it to shore telling him “it’s going to be ok Mr. Bee I’ve got you.” As she reached the sandy shore the bee, now all dried up, sharply stung her and flew off. “Huh, not even a thank you” she muttered to herself rubbing her hand.  Then she went about her day back in the water looking, collecting and thinking.

As the sky grew dark and she grew hungry, she grabbed her bike her bag and her handful of rocks and headed home. On her trek home she liked to stop by this steady stream that ran alongside the road.  She laid her bike down and bent over the stream to look in the cool waters below.  To her amazement she saw, what appeared to be, the same exact bee she rescued just hours before in the lake. “Hmm... Mr. Bee didn’t we go through this already?” She lowered herself closer to the water and scooped up the little bee. Again once dried up he promptly stung her and flew away.  “I hope he learned his lesson this time” she said again rubbing her new bee sting as she watched him take to the wind.

She grabbed her bag and her bike and off she road back toward home. Once she got there she rode toward the garage to park her bike when she noticed a puddle. Laying her bike down, she bent over just for a quick look. You’re not going to believe who she saw struggling in the waters below, but Mr. Bee himself. This time to her amazement the bee spoke to her “You have saved my life twice now and you’re about to do it again for the third time. I will sting you. I’m a bee and it’s what I do.”

She stared at the bee. Thought for a moment and said, “OK Mr. Bee you are right I have saved you twice so far and have gotten stung every time but what I think you don’t understand,” she reached down and scooped him up yet again. “It’s your job to sting, it’s what you do but this, this is my job it’s what I do!”

He promptly stung her, and smiled, and flew into the wind. She stood there for a long moment while rubbing her third bee sting and smiled back.

What is it that you do? What is your purpose?  What gifts and talents make you the person you are inside? This little girl is a thinker who solves problems. She even solves them before they arise for people who have yet to know they have a problem in the first place. She thinks of a problem, finds a solution and will give away the solution to anyone who needs it. She is doing what she was put here to do. What is your purpose?