She Stopped to Save a Bee (True Story)

"We've all been given a gift. The gift of life. What we do with our lives is our gift back." Edo

We were walking and doing sprints on a hot, spring day. All of a sudden my friend stopped, dropped to the sidewalk and began to gently move the slowly dying bee out of harm's way. People talk about empathy and compassion all of the time, but it’s very seldom that we hear about genuine, unselfish love that is expressed by human beings. When I say this, I mean unstaged, not for business purposes, or for attention or praise; I’m talking about sincere acts of compassion. The actions people take when they aren’t being watched. 

My heart was so touched by this moment that I knew right then and there I was going to write about the experience. I literally said to her, "You just inspired me to write a piece about compassion.”

I will spare you the formal definitions of the word compassion because it is irrelevant. My purpose in writing this is to remind you all of the real love that is in your heart, regardless of what is currently going on in the world. I am empowering you to feel the spark and to lead with that love once again vs. reacting to an uncertain time. Your words and actions of LOVE will always be more powerful than hate, frustration, anger, or disgust. 

Let’s go back in time when you had a moment of pure, unconditional love. It may have been with an animal, a person or in this circumstance, an insect. Remember how it felt to give that love. Imagine how it feels to receive it. Bee in the moment (pun intended). hehe

She spoke to it like it was her little pet, "Come on little bee.” The wind swiftly pushed the bee from side to side. As I watched her, I thought to myself, if only we had this kind of love for all living creatures and human beings. I went into a trance-like state as I admired her act of unconditional love. At that moment I was grateful and proud to have a friend who was so observant that she noticed a tiny thing struggling as we were sprinting home after an already long, nine-mile walk (which is an entirely different story in and of itself). 

I stood there patiently watching her. Never, at one moment did I think, this is a waste of time or it’s just going to die anyway. It did spark my curiosity about the myth that bees die after they sting someone, which I of course Googled once I returned to the car. The bee was almost to the grass as the wind blew it back onto the sidewalk once more.

She diligently moved the bee with a little sliver of grass until finally, it was safe. As we walked away, I thought if only all of us had that motivation to love and care for others in that way. To keep trying, even when the wind blows us off track. To keep believing, especially when we get so close, only to fall back again. 

It’s in us. It is in us all. This love. The love that you show, feel, give and receive when no one else is watching. It is part of your essence. My dear friend Katie wasn’t putting on a show for me that day, I just so happened to witness a unique and special moment. Since I've known Katie, her love for all things has always been a priority in her life and she has participated in many acts of kindness, but this one really left an impression.

Many of us don’t understand what is going on. We don’t know why we are feeling the way we feel. Or why we are acting the way we do. We are confused, sad, and frustrated with how others are acting and responding. 

I write this to remind you of the powerful love that is in YOU, around YOU and can conquer all. This is not some hippie kind of love I speak of. This is the love that you know is inside you and is unexplainable. You have this urge to express it, to lead with it but you have not embraced its full potential just yet. It’s time to lead with that love. Be strong and push the emotions of hate and fear out of your space because it no longer serves you, and frankly it no longer serves this world. 

The more you embody what is true to the real you, the more we will see this reflected in our outer world. 

Yes, it really is that simple.

Shine,

Toni Bubb, Professional Lover of Life

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About the Author: Toni Bubb, Professional Lover of Life is a Human Sustainability Advocate, Creative Consultant, and Spokesperson. Her WHY is to make someone smile or laugh each day, in order to ignite their desire to shine their light in the world. She has a deep dedication to interweaving both self-transformation and creativity. Toni loves to travel, meet random people, take road trips, be in nature, dance, and be goofy! In her work, you can find her Igniting High Vibe Brands and Representing Wellness and Lifestyle Brands via media. For inquiries contact her directly at [email protected]