Reflections on Bees and Being Thoroughly Used Up
“Say, ‘My prayers and devotions, my living and my dying, are all for God, Lord of all the Worlds.” [6:162]
What comes to mind when you think of a life well-lived? Opportunities taken, landmarks visited, a tangible legacy, a healthy retirement account? A life ended with the name of God on our lips? The latter is a life accepted, a good life with good tidings, but what is the life lived most fully?
“When Allah loves a servant, He uses them.”
The Companions asked, “How does He use them?”
The Prophet (s) replied, “He prompts them to do good deeds before their death.”
When reflecting on the lives of the great ones, old and recent, it can be helpful to take note of what they were doing in the days and hours before their passing. Those last few hours are the snapshot of a life fully lived. They were driven, busy, preoccupied with beauty and good, extracting nectar from the fields of life, and turning it into honey for everyone.
During the summertime, a worker bee lives for only a few weeks. She graduates through the phases of her life cycle, each stage immersed in work and service. She feeds the larvae in her hive, produces the wax that forms the cells of the honeycomb, gathers nectar and pollen, fans the nectar with her wings along with dozens of her teammates to create the healing honey that feeds creatures and people far and wide. She cooperates with her sisters and guides them to the best flowers in the field, and then, one day, her wings stop working, often mid-flight, and she falls exhausted to the ground in the midst of her errands.
When I think of a life well-lived, I think of this worker bee. Her short life and quiet death went largely unnoticed. But even in this world, her hard work produced liquid gold — can you imagine what that work will reap in the next life? It is a life lived to its fullest, meeting Allah exhausted, worn out from foraging non-stop in the field of good deeds and service.
We can learn from the ingredients of a bee’s life:
Drinking deeply from divine guidance and sustenance
Working hard and selflessly
Sticking with her teammates and preferring them over herself
Being consistent and steadfast amidst life’s fluctuations and phases
Guiding others to goodness
Sharing what she reaps with others
Returning to God mid-flight on her way to another flower
Remember that we need this work of service more than it needs us. We starve without the privilege of serving God. Our hearts and souls are nourished by the honey that comes out of working for Him, and we are not alone. The field is full of sincere workers, humming, working, living and dying. Our faith has drawn out for us these trails to do our best work, so follow the ways made by your Lord.
“And your Lord inspired the bee, saying, “Build yourselves houses in the mountains and trees and what people construct. Then feed on all kinds of fruit and follow the ways made easy for you by your Lord.” From their bellies comes a drink of different colors in which there is healing for people. There truly is a sign in this for those who think.” [16:68-69]