Recently I wrote about a scary episode concerning Vinny’s health, and how just previous to this we had something come up between us that did not get resolved. With this weighing on me during the long ride to the emergency room, a story about a Bee and a Bear developed in my heart, and I shared it with Vinny as soon as he was stabilized. Despite the fact that it’s an allegory, (and there was no swatting or stinging going on!) it illuminated to us the nature of, and even the humor in, our particular misunderstanding. In fact, I have since thought of other “spats” in my life that this story could apply to, and hopefully the end result is and will be the same!
Anyway, Vinny encouraged me to write the story down and share it with you. So here goes… :-)
A Little Spat of Honey
“Honey Bee,” as she was called, was in her hive one morning doing what she naturally does… converting nectar to honey and feeding it to future baby bees. Only at the moment she saw her routine actions as merely a duty, simply depositing into little symmetrical holes a weight she was carrying. She never was a morning bee!
Suddenly she was startled from her work by her best friend, “Honey Bear,” who trust his big black nose into the hive. “Hey my Honey!” he blurted out, “I know this isn’t when we normally meet up but I’m huungrrrry!”
Before Bear even finished his boisterous announcement, Honey Bee reacted. Why, she does not know. She knew her furry friend well, and trusted his big heart, but the abruptness of changing her plans so quickly caused her to feel defensive. Instead of pausing to communicate and ask questions, however, she rashly did something that no bee likes to do.
She stung him. Right on the nose!
“Ouch!” Honey Bear screamed, and then in an automatic reaction for a bear, he swatted at Honey Bee. She went flying and landed on the other side of the hive. Stunned for a brief moment, she then gathered herself enough to see the tail end of her big grizzly friend running away into the woods whimpering.
“Oh dear!” Honey Bee said, “I’ll have to catch him later when we meet for our evening rondevu. We’ll talk about this over some honey, and make amends then.”
Evening came, and evening went, however. Honey Bee sat on a tree branch waiting for her bear friend, but he never came. Sadly she returned to the hive and cried.
“What a mess,” she moaned, but determined to not give up, she planned to go out to their spot again the next day.
Meanwhile Honey Bear was feeling bad too. He missed being with his Honey Bee, so he planned on coming back the next day to talk to her as well.
When they finally did meet up, they shared some honey together and expressed their regrets for overreacting and hurting each other. Knowing it was a unique challenge for a bee and a bear to be friends, they encouraged each other to believe the best of each other and keep walking in love.
Needless to say – it was a sweet time the two of them had!
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That was a very sweet (get it) story! I think you should copy it off with the honey bear on it and offer it for sale to people that sell honey! You could do a series of children’s short stories Pam..you are a good writer. Remember Wixon Honey is out there by you in Dundee and there are a few people at the Canandaigua Farmers Market that sell honey. I think every town has a farmers market and I bet there are people that sell honey at each of them.
Wishing you well…Love, Maggie
Ditto!!!! yours truly… the Illustrator : )