How to move through hopelessness: A Guide for Bees

a light hearted look at some real strategies

Step 0: Acknowledge your hopelessness.

Step 1: Find some fellow bees in your hive. Who is making honey with you? Who works on building the honeycomb? Who brings back the pollen and the nectar?

Step 2: Do a little dance. Preferably with your fellow bees, for this is how communication works. But if they are far away or busy, I suggest hopping on a zoom call for 5 minutes and sharing your computer sound to dance to your favorite bop. It will feel silly. But then it might feel joyous. It might even make you laugh.

Step 2a: Ask a bee what’s got them buzzing and what’s got them resting. How are they moving through the world these days? Notice patterns that have repeated in your own life.

Step 2b: Take a moment to feel your little bee feelings together. Recognize that though you may be small, your feelings are BIG. Rub your wings, buzz to let each other know how angry you are, how exhausted. If you are in-person, I suggest some physical touch here. Boop your antennas together. If you are on zoom, perhaps spend a moment in silence, looking at each other on the screen.

Step 3: Look around your hive once more and notice all the bees around you. How many of them are hopeless? How many of them have no idea what is going on in the garden that is causing you and your bee friends stress? Who needs some care, some time, some rest?

Step 3a: What can you offer these fellow bees? How can you ground them in the truth of the garden, and show them the beauty you believe to still exist in the flowers?

Step 3b: DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Remind them. It will help you to remind yourself.

Step 4: Repeat.