This weekend marks National Honeybee Day! As the hurricane sweeps toward New England, I’m celebrating by reflecting on a few lessons from the bees.

• The importance of awareness. It’s easy to notice the flowers that are at human eye-level, but it’s only by tracing the pollen in early springtime that I began to notice the flowering of the treetops. What other abundance is just out of sight?
• The value of patience. It’s so satisfying to sit by a hive on a coolish day, watching as a few brave scouts emerge, followed by more and more as the sun warms to the mid 50’s. How might we recognize the right conditions for our own ventures?
• The joy of alignment. On a clear sunny day, when the workers are zooming back and forth and the comb is full of pollen and nectar and baby bees, the pitch of a hive is different. The buzzing is steady and energetic, not irritated and high-pitched nor dull and muted. How do we communicate when our hard work meets good fortune?
• The miracles before us. No matter how much I study the fantastic science of bees, I will never be un-amazed by the building of perfect comb or the way that flowers become honey. What other wonders are hidden in plain sight?

Dear friends, what a gift that we are here at all, to learn from all sorts of teachers.

Let’s see what lessons surround us today.