I used to be scared of wasps.
And what you see in the picture is a wasp sleeping... Well, she's actually taking a break from building her nest... Right outside of my bedroom door...
I've been observing this wasp for three weeks now and in that time period have had an interesting journey that began in fear and has now evolved into complete admiration.
You see, not too long ago seeing a wasp in my house would have freaked me out enough for me to have had no qualms about getting rid of its nest. No thought would have been given to the animal involved in its creation in the name of self-preservation.
Today though, I can't help but wonder at the beauty and magnificence of this industrious and ultra dedicated wasp's creation! In the three short weeks I've been observing her, every single time I pass my door, I've seen her working. Non stop. Every. Single. Day.
Oddly enough, this is actually the first time I don't see her busy at work building.
I did some research and it turns out that adult worker wasps are usually females who are building nests to safeguard their soon to be born young. In the case of this particular wasp, it also looks like rather than being an adult worker wasp, she's actually a Queen wasp due to her large size. I also learned that wasps are generally not a threat to humans unless they're messed with. (good news!)
Back to the story though...
So every day the wasp's nest grows just a little bit and every day I am made privy to the evolution of the simple yet intricate design she's creating which is beautiful in both form and function. Seeing this has made me develop a new appreciation for this incredible creature and has made me reconsider our relationship.
You see, this little experiment in observation has made me realize that that nest is that wasp's life work. It's her masterpiece... It's her legacy and the future of her family. Knowing this, I understand that the wasp is simply living out her purpose. How could I ever consciously destroy her work?! What makes my manufactured 'peace of mind' more important than her survival? Isn't it possible for us to just co-exist in harmony with each other? Why should my misguided human fear be prioritized over her existence?
This has made me remember a beautiful quote I read not too long ago that says:
'Tread lightly on this earth and place your feet deliberately.' - Unknown
I couldn't agree more if I tried. In my mind, we're all wasps. We're all just trying to live our lives and we're trying to do this sharing one home.
It's important that we become conscious of the role that we play in our human communities but also in our ecosystem as a whole. It's important that we learn to respect each other's paths, work, timing, and existence.
It's important that we start operating from the understanding that we don't live in splendid isolation and that our actions have consequences.
What if we learned to be more gentle with the planet, with each other and with ourselves? If we did, wouldn't that be wonderful?
Namasme.
***
{I picked this piece by Bach for this post inspired by a conversation I had with a friend on Sunday about music as a medium for the achievement of ecstasy. We were discussing classical and my friend Peter brought up Bach...whom historically I'd never been a huge fan of.. I've always seen myself as more of a Mozart kind of girl since I studied opera in highschool. His argument was that Bach was the equivalent of (wo)man exhalting God and almost making an offering while Mozart was God speaking to (wo)man through music. This prompted me to give both another listen and I have to admit, I can totally understand why he said what he did and kind of agree. I also have a newfound appreciation for Bach, much like I do for the wasp living in my house. ;) }