Many of you probably believe that bumble bees are social little creatures. After all, from the moment we are born we are surrounded by other bumble bees working away in our hive to keep it running, but this is where you are slightly mistaken. At least for this Busy Bumble Bee, a lot of people are unwanted. The noise and confusion that accompanies a crowd isn't exactly ideal for a little bumble bee such as myself. If I could have a table full of my family and my friends I would be just buzzing with happiness. (You see I made a pun... buzzing!) To be in a crowd means small talk. Lots of "How's the weather"s and "How's the family "s. I find it much more enjoyable to avoid small talk and instead have Big Talk, you know those conversations that you and your friends have about a professor, or you and your family talking about something strange one of you saw that day. Those Big Talks make me immensely happy. In those talks you really bring out your personality. For instance, were you to have a Big Talk with this little Busy Bumble Bee, you would discover that I am a sarcastic little biologists that finds it hilarious for all the inside jokes combine to form an outside joke.
You know you're having a good Big Talk when others around you turn to stare at you because they think you're a) rude [because you're being loud] b) weird [because most of my group is biologist so we're pretty weird or c) having more fun than them. My family has this and we are constantly getting these looks from the cats that reside in our humble abode. (The cat only thinks in a and b. She does not care if we're having fun. We're just weird in her eyes.)
Another type of Big Talk is when you talk about each other. When you ask someone how their day was and you are truly interested. It's not a custom that you've grown into, no it's an interest in how they are doing, because you truly do want to know what is going on in their head. My siblings are in this fashion. My little wild cat sister is starting to look at the real world and say "I could do better." and make plans to make the world work better. To hear what is happening in her life is interesting indeed. I now know why my little otter parents were asking me when I was at this stage. To see someone who is about to take on their world in their own way is fascinating. You find yourself wondering, how with she do it, what if she fails, what will happen. (I know what will happen if she fails. She'll just get angry and do it again, with a smile on her face.) My wolf brother is also interesting to talk to. He's in the midst of his ordinary life with his ordinary problems, but the way he handles them is quite fascinating indeed. To hear that talking about viruses is cool and not difficult or gross is wonderful to hear. He always takes the challenges of life a little different than my sister. My little wolf brother is patient, waiting out the trials with a ducked head, and ear buds in his ears. Once the storm has passed he'll look up, look around, and then take action. My parents also take their cup of life a little differently. (I personally enjoy putting coffee creamer in mine. Right now it's all about the pumpkin spice.) These little otters are planners. They will float on their backs, grab a little urchin, and make lists upon lists of things that need to happen, things they want to happen, and things that if anything were to go wrong they would at least have 3 back up plans. They enjoy knowing that if my sister were to fail they know exactly which dessert they would buy her to make her feel better so that she could take on the world again. (It's cake pops by the way. The red velvet kind.) They plan everything especially when it involves their family. Every kind movement is exact and precise, every battle for their children is like a covert op ready to happen at anytime.
These are the things I find dear to me. To know that my sister has enthusiasm, my brother has patients, and my parents have planned kindness makes me wonder if maybe if the world were to have a little more people of this nature would make it easier, not necessarily "better," but it would make the medicine go down a little easier with some sugar. (That's right everyone, Mary Poppins reference. You're welcome.) Well, I think I'll depart on that note. Perhaps I will try to be a little bit of sugar today and make someone's life a little easier. Of maybe I'll be a little spoon full of pumpkin spice.
