The Sting
Being stung twice by an invisible force
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The incident
It started off like a regular day. I woke up, baked some raspberry muffins for breakfast, got the girls off to school with the usual amount of drama. Then my Scottish friend, Shona, and I met up for an early morning walk. We walked down the hill path towards the duck pond when out of the blue some seemingly invisible flying creature landed on my right shoulder and stung me. I furiously swatted it away and then it flew around and stung me in my left shoulder. After that it seemed satisfied with its pursuit of vengeance and left me alone.
Stung and stunned it took me a minute to process what the hell just happened. I didn't notice nearing any nest and can't recollect doing anything to warrant such a reaction. Wasps are small creatures, so it's possible that I inadvertently caused some harm as I was plodding down the hillside, without noticing.
Getting away from there
My friend who witnessed the whole scene and saw me inexplicably flailing against an invisible force, and saying "Ow!", asked if I was ok. More or less, I guess. It was stinging a lot but not horribly. Ready to quickly move on, lest it return with friends, we continued on our way.
Why? Why?
The rest of the hike was uneventful, and when I returned home and got to work, I couldn't help wondering what the heck was that all about? Some people see the world as random chaotic events that just happen with no rhyme or reason. While others believe there's some sort of divine plan. It's the tension between seeing the world through a scientific lens or a spiritual one.
I think I fall somewhere between the two, understanding that the way events unfold is driven by chance, is unknowable and we have little or no control over what happens. But there is a cosmic convergence or serendipity that can give meaning to these seemingly random events.
"Stung by the splendour of a sudden thought."
Searching for meaning
Perhaps we project a perspective onto what has unfolded, but there is something to learn from everything that happens in life and if you look closely you may find some meaning. The mysterious bug, that I never saw with my eyes but sure did feel, and my companion never saw either, was like a force of nature demanding that I pay attention. Although, I try to be observant and present we all have blind spots.
It stung me twice, once on each arm, with an eery symmetry in nearly the same place on both sides. Out of curiosity I looked up the meaning of bee/wasp stings and it seems to cover a lot of different spiritual ideas. It can be a wakeup call to pay attention to things you've been avoiding, signify a sudden change is about to occur, suggest a need for protecting boundaries, or be an opening to greater creativity and focus towards one's goals.
Imagination as Refuge
As an artist I can be given to dwelling in the abstract world of imagination both as a way of envisioning possibilities, creating ideas, but also as a way of creating a safe world away from the pain of reality. Being stung snaps you back to the tangible reality in short order.
Attaching meaning to anything that happens in life is a tricky business, but the rest of the day, delivered more challenges though none physically painful. It was simply a continuation of two intractable problems that never seen to resolve. As an intrinsic truth, suffering is are a part of life, and what matters is how respond to it and what you learn.
Identifying the villain
The pain faded, and the following day, I had an itchy little bump on both arms and it still feels hotter than the rest of my skin. Although I never fully saw it, my best guess is that it was some kind of wasp, because they can reuse their stingers and bees lose their's after one sting.
In the grand scheme of things, it's such a minor little inconvenience, especially compared to the tragic suffering other people are experiencing. Though it did give me an opportunity to stop and reflect on the mystery of nature and life, so I honor that strange little encounter.
“A person who is too nice an observer of the business of the crowd, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity.”
The Sting
sharp and sudden
the poison seeped in
looking around
at children
unprotected
from pain
seeking release
into another
wounds that
will follow
into the future
dissipating with time
and effort
towards healing
