Pondering the decline of the bee population takes me into other viewpoints.

Declining bee population as well as any endangered species is of notable concern. Looking at both flora and fauna, over 1,000 species a day become extinct somewhere in the world (this includes bacteria and insects). As a human species, we like to think we are smart enough to control our world. Obviously, we aren't very conscious in that area. If you believe in evolution of some kind, are we supposed to control all other populations? Certainly we are a part of the macrocosm of the earth with what happens on this earth reflected in our own personal microcosms. I no longer believe we can do much about what we see happening about us. Our egos tell us we should be able to control this. Our brains go into overdrive thinking we can manipulate things. We certainly can but to what ends? We don't seem to have very good insight into the larger picture or we wouldn't be in the global situations we find ourselves. We grieve change, but is change bad?

Let me propose that this process we are seeing (feeling, sensing, etc.) may also be of notable awareness for our own conscious evolution. Let me propose so you might ponder the possibility that the bee and bee hive represent the group mind. As human beings were are programmed by our culture, society, by religious and educational paradigms, by our families, etc. in a homogenization process that keeps us functioning in the group. Group is good. Group is survival. Group gives us the opportunity to raise our children. However, it also has the down side of keeping up in paradigms that may not provide the best for our future generations. Certainly the group mind of the dominantly functioning paradigm keeps us thinking that if we just do what we do smarter, faster, quicker, with more workforce, with less workforce but with more computers, - something will get better. And sometimes something does seem to get better for a short time until we figure out the cost of what that short time of better is.

As human beings our brains are still growing. As human beings, there is biological evidence that we are still evolving towards bigger brains and developmental stages happening chronologically earlier. In other words, our kids are smarter and develop skills earlier. Does this mean that there will also be a shift in how the world is perceived? "Gifted" young people are having an impact on national and world happenings. "Gifted" X generation and baby boomers are having an impact on approaching global problems. They are inspiring all of us to view things differently. Perhaps the beehive mentality is also changing. Perhaps, the group mind of human relationships is ready to shift. Perhaps we no longer feel the need for a hierarchy of labeling and cubby holing people and activities. If the passing of the bees is a metaphor for this, so be it. Just as royalty may be passing away as the feudal system did, so may the glory of the bee with its drones and cells and cones, its hives and flower dances pass on.

Still, I will miss the honey, and the beautiful flowers that will only appear if there are still honey bees doing their thing. I wonder if something else will take the place of the bee? I wonder if the bee will evolve into something else? They say that birds were once reptile like dinosaurs. What new world is ahead? Are we brave enough to stay the course to see this new world?

Learn more about this author, Brenda Marie.
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