It was a bright sunny day with blue skies and everything nice. I was in the pool doing my exercise when I saw a bee struggling in the water.

I tried cupping my palms to save the bee but that did not work.

I went to the side of the pool, found a leaf and went quickly to where I left the bee floundering.

I gently push the leaf to offer support to the bee.

It got onto the leaf, flapped its wings in a flash of gold and it was gone.

Exhilaration filled me followed by immense gratitude that I was there at the right time.

This B and Bee Connection gave rise to the following insights:

1. Enthusiasm and Dark Nights of the Soul

In his book Dark Nights of the Soul, Thomas Moore observes that the sadness, confusion, frustration, pain, suffering, loneliness, and loss that many people experience during a dark night of the soul can be catalysts to personal transformation.

He shares that a blessing may come at the end of this unsettling period:

Perhaps the dark night comes upon you from inside or outside to wake you up, to stir you and steer you toward a new life. I believe this is the message of most religions, and certainly it is the gist of Christianity and Buddhism.

Your dark night may be a ‘Bardo’: a period of apparent lifelessness that precedes a new birth of meaning.

Maybe your dark night is a gestation, a coming into being of a level of existence you have never dreamed of. Maybe your dark night is one big ironical challenge, just the opposite of what it appears to be – not a dying, but a birthing.

During my dark nights of the soul, I was like the bee – floundering.

If not for my circle of champions and learning new strategies, I would have drowned.

I must confess though.

When I was floundering, it was hard to be enthusiastic about being me.

All I could think about was the bad stuff I was going through and being super critical about my shortcomings.

But if I wasn’t enthusiastic about being me, then who else will be?

This realization was critical in allowing me to pause and do what I can to regain my enthusiasm for being me.

Attending courses, seeking professional support, reading useful books, enjoying the company of people with good vibes were some of the ways.

It allowed me to see that I am a Gift to myself and others in spite of all that was going wrong in my life at that moment.

What about you? Are you enthusiastic about being you?

If what’s going on in your life is crippling your enthusiasm for being you, I encourage you to speak to someone or seek professional support. You are worth it.

2. The Right Support Tool

I wasn’t able to help the bee by cupping my palms. I was also afraid of being stung.

Instead, the right tool was the leaf.

The bee felt safe to climb onto a leaf, something familiar.

In the same way, when you are looking to support others, three useful questions to reflect on:

3. Right Place Right Time

The bee reminded me of this.

You see, when I was in the pool doing my exercise, I was not exactly in the most enthusiastic frame of mind.

I was recovering from a knee injury which restricted my movements. Instead of my usual outdoor walks, cycling or swim laps, I was confined to doing slow pool walks.

Precisely because I was walking in the pool slowly, I spotted the bee.

Right place at the right time.

There is goodness and blessings in all situations.