Freedom From Worry: Thoughts From Red Sunflower Farm
Curious Questions from Observing the Everyday
Freedom From Worry: A Lesson From the Humble Bumble Bee
I know it’s spring when the dandelions blossom. They are a treasure for the bees. And the bees are a treasure for me — pollinating my food.
Mother Nature has much to teach us about giving and receiving in the flow of life. Spring is her Masterclass.
Flowers bloom. Birds sing. Bees buzz. It’s an inspiring and uplifting time of year, one where many of us feel energized by the longer days and warmer evenings.
It’s also the time when I’m reminded of abundance and enough-ness. Recently, I stopped on one of my morning walks to observe a bee pollinating a dandelion.
Bees are miraculous creatures. They’re resourceful and essential members of our ecosystem. But they’re also victims of what happens when we fail to define ‘enough’.Yes, abundance comes in many forms, especially when we know where to look, but sometimes abundance requires a paradigm shift.
More, more, more. Take, take, take. Hoard, hoard, hoard. What if we stopped to assess our definition of ‘enough’? Would we want more? Would we continue to take? Would we hoard so much?
Understanding our personal, self-articulated definition of ‘enough’ and recognizing when we’ve attained it creates three primary byproducts:
We experience prosperity (often with less).
We stop constantly reaching for more.
We worry less. (Or not at all!)
Freedom from worry is undervalued in our society, perhaps because it feels unattainable for so many.
If we don’t know how to realize when we’ve ‘made it,’ we continue to reach for more. And as a result, we remain trapped in a cycle of stress and worry.
Perhaps you’re swimming in excess, but are you sleeping? Are you fulfilled? Are you anxious? Is the stress of constantly seeking more causing you to lose energy for the things you value most in life?
Prosperity isn’t just a financial pursuit — prosperity is about finding joy. It’s about knowing when you’ve attained enough. And it’s about freeing yourself to enjoy what you have.
It’s far too easy to get caught up in our day-to-day worries. After all, how can we stop and smell the blooms when we’re worried about taxes, investments, and a hundred other little financial nuisances?
Often, we’re surrounded by abundance and we don’t even realize it. We just need to look up and see our surroundings for what they truly are.
Back to the bumble bee: I watched the fuzzy insect busily tackle his all-important work. The little bee went about his business joyfully, without a care in the world. He gives so much to us, and yet, our societal fixation with taking has become a threat to his very existence.
Perhaps it’s time to revisit what abundance means — for us, but also for others (including the bees).
I’ll leave you with these curious questions:
How will I know when I have enough?
How do I already experience abundance?
Am I reaching with intentionality?
Am I pursuing things that contribute to my prosperity and joy? Or am I on autopilot?