The Bees and Me

It goes without saying that we all feel connected to nature; the woods, the trees, the land, and the seas. But have you ever felt a strange connection to just one kind? I think I have. Let me take you through it.

Of all the creatures in the world, bees have been mysteriously drawn to me for reasons unknown. Past-life connection? Past-life debts being settled in this lifetime, maybe?

It all started a little over a decade ago while visiting family in Chennai. The curious me wandered outside just to take a peek at the surroundings, and before I knew it, I felt something slide down my back in a crisscross motion. Within seconds, a stinging sensation spread across my back. It was a terrible feeling.

A bee had stung me, and died in the process. Fate could not have been kinder to the bee, or worse to me.

After much fuss and confusion, I finally took an allergy pill on a doctor-relative’s recommendation. I remember thinking it was just a one-time incident and soon forgot about it.

Fast forward a few years, while dawdling in my backyard, I got stung again, this time by a bumblebee on my right foot. An ugly swelling formed on my toe that lasted for days, and I ended up limping around. The sting took me by surprise, no doubt. Lesson learned: don’t walk barefoot. Or so I thought.

No great care was taken this time. My family assumed I must be immune now since it was the second time. Bee or bumblebee—the last three letters were enough for them to put them in the same category.

A year went by, and I almost forgot the previous two encounters. But karma—or coincidence, came back yet again.

One evening, I decided to take a stroll in my yard. The goal was simple: enjoy the warmth and quiet. I usually wear AirPods to listen to music, but that day I didn’t. Everything felt slightly off, like the universe had quietly aligned itself for something I didn’t yet know.

On my second lap, whoosh. Like a sudden gust of wind brushing past my face. Something buzzed in my ear and tickled it. Panic struck, and I did what I thought was right—I ended up squishing the bee right there.

The bee fought back bravely and left its stinger lodged in my ear, marking me for life (pun intended).

It didn’t take me long to figure out what had happened. Three times is definitely no charm, trust me. This time, the reaction was different. Apart from the piercing pain, I felt chills and developed a fever almost immediately. The stinger had to be removed with a plucker. My astonishment was endless—a tiny fragile creature, seemingly harmless, yet such a fighter.

There’s no telling it won’t happen again. Time is my only bet now. If karmic patterns and debts are real, I sometimes wonder what lesson the bees are trying to teach me. Was I a bear in a past life, happily raiding beehives and stealing honey?

The queen bee, perhaps, is still unforgiving.

Of all the creatures in the world, somehow, it’s still the bees and me.