One great thing about beekeeping is that it can offer a compressed view of life’s greatest realities. For example, right now it is prime brood-building season, with dozens of bees born every day in a healthy hive. The circle of life is spinning ‘round at dizzying speeds.

The other day, I spotted several cells that were partially open, with tiny antennae poking out above. A bunch of baby bees were emerging! Other bees that were passing by would stop to exchange some signals of their own, which had me thinking of the amazing mysteries of non-human communication. But then in the very next instant, the visitors would step on the eyeballs of their soon-to-be sisters, which is hard to romanticize as a loving welcome.

A few minutes later, after a long stretch of what can only be described as intense insect pull-ups, the baby bees had emerged and were already walking amongst their sisters, undetectable except for their lighter fuzz. You would never know that a few minutes beforehand they’d been sealed up in a wax cell. And that a few days ago, they were still gooey works-in-progress.

Dear ones, isn’t this all of life?

Glorious and tedious.

Miraculous and mundane.

Both at once, most of the time.

May we persist, even when our own kin step on our heads.

May we find the strength to emerge whole and healthy.

May we see the glory in our gooey work in progress.