29 Jun Lifting Our Gaze
In the scorching heat of the Arizona summer, the swimming pool becomes the only place to find some relief. The girls spend their summer days immersed in playful activities like sharks and minnows, seeing how far they can get across the pool in one breath and diving for rings.
There is only one problem. The bees, too, seek relief in the cool waters and persistently hover near the surface. On this particular day, an extra bothersome bee singled out Emma, buzzing around her head and chasing her relentlessly around the pool.
Determined to find a solution, Emma found an empty, transparent plastic cup nearby. She decided to use it to relocate the bee somewhere far away from her pool and her head. Carefully capturing the bee, she set the cup with the bee inside of it on a table in the shade.
From time to time, Emma would swim toward the cup and provide updates on the bee’s behavior. “It’s still just walking around and bumping into the sides!” she called out.
“Look up!” She commanded the bee. “You can fly. Make your eyeballs look up!”
But the bee never did. It stayed in the cup, exploring only the small space it occupied.
Hours passed and the sun was setting. The rings were put away. The fun of sharks and minnows ended for the day with a declaration of a tie. The record had been set for the longest distance across the pool in one breath.
All while the bee stayed put; bumping against the walls of the cup, under the mistaken impression that it was trapped. Unbeknownst to the bee, the world outside beckoned; the open space above offering an opportunity to explore and embrace the beauty and opportunity outside of the cup.
Before going inside, Emma turned the cup over onto the table and the bee tumbled out. It walked for a bit, seemingly aware that the walls of the cup were no longer there. And with that, the bee flew away.
As I watched the bee soar, I thought about how much possibility awaits us when we lift our gaze from the relentless buzz of our everyday lives.