The day is sunny and warm. I feel the heat of the sun warming my skin as I sit and ponder. Buzz.
What was that? I heard something. Buzz. Buzz.
I look around the lush grassy field speckled with the deep reds and bright yellows of beautiful wildflowers.
I see a bee… no two. Two bees. Buzz Buzz. I lean in close to get a better look.
Why, they’re talking.
“Jack, why are we here?”
A bee named Jack, how absurd.
“We make honey, it’s what we do.”
“Isn’t there more to life than honey?”
Good question I think to myself.
“Of course there is. Making honey is just our job. Honey keeps the family fed, but there is more to life than honey. Life is about the journey. It’s about immersing ourselves in the beauty of each and every flower, it’s about buzzing from flower to flower while feeling the warmth of the sun on our backs. It’s about relishing our time on this planet while enjoying the wonderful little details that surround us. It’s about treasuring our journey as we move through life. “
Wise little bees.
Are you treasuring your journey?
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I was just thinking about this today, preparing a training program. I don’t believe that achieving goals, getting results is a sustainable way to achieve happiness. Because a result makes us happy for a while, then it habituates and we need to achieve something even bigger to feel the same happiness. It’s a rat race, or should I say a bee race:). This is why enjoying the process, the journey is the way to go. Thanks for the reinforcement.
Eduard
Ideas With A Kick´s last blog ..Learn how to have a sense of humor from James Bond
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Good insights. While achieving goals and getting results is important, it’s not a way to sustain happiness. Happiness is independant of these events, and I feel enjoying the journey is key.
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I am seriously giving it the good ol’ college try.
Krissa´s last blog ..There just is no good title for this. I mean what on earth would you call it?
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 10:50 am
The good ol’ college try sounds great to me! I’ll admit the journey is not always pleasent, the trick is to find the little bits of joy in everything you do.
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Beautiful post, Eric. I love the metaphor of the bees. My husband and I were just sitting watching some huge black bees yesterday, doing their thing on the lavender plants. And you know what? I think they do treasure the journey, in their own bee-like way. Great story!
Patty @ Why Not Start Now?´s last blog ..Retracing My Steps
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
November 30th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Thanks Patty. It’s fun to just sit back and watch nature sometimes. We planted a small butterfly garden this year, and it was great fun watching the butterflies flutter about, and the bees buzzing from flower to flower.
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Hi Eric:
Ha ha…nice post! It has taken me a while but I’m learning about how important the journey is to life. So many of us are focused on the destination – especially retirement, getting married, getting that great job, etc. I, too, think honey is overrated…but I’d love to be King Bee Lebron James for a day!
Tim´s last blog ..RAOKA- Thoughts on Wisdom
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Tim,
Being King Bee for a day would make a nice addition to the journey.
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Hi Eric!
First, I want to say thanks for being the cool guy you are and contributing your lovely thoughts to the RAOKA theme June. You ROCK, Mr. Eric.
I was thinking after I published my post that I wish I had spent more time talking about nature — how much wisdom is present all around us in non-human form. And, that’s what I love so much about this RAOKA endeavor, we get to hear all view points of the theme from many people. So, to make a long story short: thanks for posting this! Your thoughts made up for mine this month. How cool is that?!?!?
Thanks again, Eric the Enlightened One.
Lori (JaneBeNimble)´s last blog ..RAOKA- Wisdom
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Lori,
You are very kind, I appreciate the compliments. Thanks for leading the ROAKA charge once again, and I’m happy to balance and compliment your ideas any time.
I actually started out several times along the lines of your post, and I just couldn’t get the post to flow. Then I finally remembered I already had a post on Wisdom, so I brought Two Wise Bees back for an encore.
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Hello Eric,
Very wise bees indeed. This is a lesson I was too long learning, but enjoying the journey of life, not just some future destination/goal, is not only WISE but will bring joy to the heart.
Thanks Eric =)
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Hey Keith, I’ve always felt we learn things exactly when we’re meant to, so although it felt like it took too long, you likely had to experience some other things first. And, I agree, it will bring joy to the heart.
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Reading your post made me think about the term “as busy as a bee”, which I think is normally meant as a compliment, but when you drill down it’s about filling each moment with activity rather than being present and enjoying the moment. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Topi
Topi´s last blog ..Wisdom
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Hi Topi, your thoughts are a nice addition. As busy as a bee could take on a different meaning if we’re talking about wise bees.
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Thank you for sharing this. It made me smile
Very wise bees!
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Eric Watermolen
Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Kaz,
Any day I make someone smile is a most wonderful day to me.
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