Looking Deeper

     I'm no stranger to engaging strangers in conversation... especially those strangers who I see on a daily basis.  You know how it goes.  It starts out with a quick and courteous "Hi" one day and then the conversation builds as days flow into weeks, weeks become months and before you know it you wonder how it all began.  That's how it usually goes with the people that I speak to on the train, so let me tell you about Keith.
     Keith is pretty hard to miss.  He's got a ponytail, and is often seen with a lute in a leather sheath sticking out if his backpack.  He works at the post office with Jose and another guy.  They take the 3:51 train home with us.  As the days and weeks and months have rolled by, we've politely chatted and have worked up to full conversations that last the entire train ride.  Keith is really interested in Native Americans and he knows a lot about them and about their beliefs. 
     Today we spoke about many things and bees just happened to be one of the topics that we discussed.  Keith mentioned that once he was having a conversation with a self-proclaimed bee expert.  He mentioned something about animals that eat bees, and she claimed that there weren't any.  "Look Deeper" Keith told her.  "You might just learn something new."  I immediately leaned closer.  "Well, what animals eat bees?"  I asked.  Keith just chuckled and said "Look Deeper".  Yes, I had a lesson to learn.  Here's what I found out:
     There are 8 main animals that actually eat bees.  The number one bee-eating animal is birds.  Should have known it!  Birds catch bees as the bee is flying by.  A bird can actually spot a bee up to 150 feet away... talk about great eyesight!  Then there's the honey badger.  He doesn't work alone.  He partners up with a small bird called the honey guide.  The honey badger tears into a honey tree and begins to eat handfuls of honey and bees.  Meanwhile, the honey guide snaps up as many bees as it can.  Together, the two of them make quite the tag team!  Lizards, toads, snakes, spiders, skunks and the praying mantis also like to dine on bees.
     Look Deeper.
     I have had several fox sightings lately.  A pair of foxes had 4 kits this summer and it was fun to watch them as they grew.  Cute little kits grow up to be full-grown adults.  Full grown adults have to compete for food.  I just hope they don't see my cats as complete, to-go, meals fit for an entire family!  I've been thinking about trapping and relocating the foxes so they can dine on cats other than my own.  I mentioned this to Keith last week.  He leaned forward and basically told me that there was probably something that I was supposed to learn from them.
     Look Deeper.
     Okay, so I research about the fox and I try to learn from it.  This is what I found out:
"Skilled and ingenious, cunning, a new world and creative process opening up, look in between yourself and others (physically, mentally, spiritually), teaches gentleness, swiftness and persistence, courage, power of observation, good eating habits and taking care of health concerns, shift awareness to feminine energies for balance.  Fox can teach you how to walk in both worlds and in between since he is the master of camouflage and shape-shifting and walking the spaces in between.  Are you in harmony with your surroundings?  Blending in with others?  It is a time to be careful and discriminating, aware of your communication abilities, and to be alert to your surroundings.  Fox teaches how to be still and silent and all the qualities of patience."

     The fox is not the only animal that has been hanging around lately.  There have also been several ladybugs that have been on my side of the bedroom.  Since I am taking the time to Look Deeper, maybe I should look into what the ladybug might be trying to show me.  This is what I learned: 

     "Ladybugs are about metamorphosis, growth and manifestation of ideas and thoughts.  It is a time to succeed and start something new.  Ladybug Beetles have a protective quality that will aid in the ability to socialize and communicate effectively by illuminating problems and situations in the correct perspective.  Are you socializing too much or not enough?  Are you eating correctly?  Now is the time to examine eating habits.  Can you identify which stage of development are you in egg/larva/pupa/adult?  Is it time to "fly" or walk in life?  Ladybugs will show when to hibernate ideas/actions and emerge in opportune moments.  Ladybugs will teach persistence with charm, trust in the process, effectiveness of natural defenses, transformation of unwanted fears along with proper movement and actions which allows the regeneration of your spirit to prosper.

     Look Deeper

Then there's the praying mantis.  They aren't usually seen by humans.  They have incredible camouflage and blend in.  Here's what I've learned about the praying mantis:

     "Power of calmness, stillness, silence, time of meditation, inner reflection, stillness in healing or in creativity, teaches how to manipulate surroundings with skill, direct the body's energy to empower the body.  Are you taking some quiet time for yourself?  Are you being patient with those around you?  Are you moving toward your goals?  However slow it may take, patience and perseverance is the key.  Are you allowing the time to stop and pause between tasks?  Are you listening carefully to yourself, others and your surroundings - in other words are you paying attention?  Praying mantis can teach you how to balance these energies."

     Look Deeper

     Finally, I have been thinking a lot about bees.  I photographed bees on flowers every chance I got, this summer.  There was even a bee that was on a plant that Karl brought in as the weather got colder here.  That bee spent several days on the plant inside.  I finally set her free out of fear that she wasn't getting what she needed in the way of food.  I dressed as a beekeeper for Halloween... complete with bees that flew around my head (Karl did an amazing job making my flying bees a reality!).  Here's some information about the bee:

     "Busiest and most useful of insects so it is time to examine your own productivity in life (mentally, spiritually, physically), shows how to communicate effectively, teaches how to carry loads and ideas to make them productive, teaches concentration and empowerment with lightness and agility.  Are you reaping the honey of life by your dreams and opportunities?  Are you productive in your actions?"

     There are many lessons to be learned here.  I know that I need to work on being patient.  I need to transform unwanted fears.  Calmness, stillness, silence, time of meditation, inner reflection, stillness are all areas of my life that need some work!  Finally, my communication skills could use a bit of clarity. 

     Looking deeper... I have found that if I pay close attention to my surroundings and the animals that intersect my path, I can learn how to be a better me.