Sometimes it’s hard to see the good in the world around us. Every time we turn on the television or pick up a newspaper, we get bombarded by news of war, crimes, accidents, hate, and destruction. We look at our checkbooks and see that money goes out faster than we can put it back in. Drivers on the road act like idiots and conspire to make us late to our destination. We face the stresses of meeting the needs of spouses, bosses, children, parents and friends. There is too much to do and not enough time. It’s easy to throw up our hands and moan, “Woe is me!” Do y’all do that? I know that I do.
Several months back, I saw a post that Marcia had put up on her blog Tumbled Words. It was called Only The Good. She asked us to look at a photograph and only see the good in it, not the flaws. Why?
“The purpose of this exercise is to get people to look at the world in a different way, to acknowledge–if only for the brief time they do this exercise–that there is good in everything and everyone…to briefly change shadow to light.”
To be honest, first I laughed. Yes, I did. But, I tried it. A few days later when there was a minor glitch in my world, I stopped before I threw my hands in the air and thought, “Wait. What’s good about this?” Friends, I was actually able to find something good about a bad situation. That de-fused my exasperation, and I was able to carry on with my activities.
Finding the good takes practice sometimes. Though this may seem silly to you, give it a try. I want you to look at the following two photographs and find Only The Good. It’s a difficult one, and I’m having a hard time with it.
I went out to sit on my back porch and glanced at the hummingbird feeder. I thought, “That dang thing is growing some kind of fungus—or is that a tarantula?” Then, I realized it was bees!
At least, I’m hoping that they are bees and not hornets! I wasn’t about to walk closer to look! But, I got out our Bushnell Spotting Telescope and tried to get a close-up. This is the best I could do:
As I was trying to get these pictures, one of my hummingbird friends tried to muscle his way in to get a drink and had to back away. He sat on a dead branch looking at me and we just shrugged at each other. What can you do?
The bees drank that dry; but they still come back to check it. So do my poor hummingbirds, but I’m afraid to fill it again. I’m going to have to talk to Morgen at The Wren’s Nest(who has all kinds of wonderful supplies for feeding our feathered friends) and see if he has any ideas of what to do so that my hummingbirds will quit guilt jerking me!
All I can see good here is some happy bees and an interesting phenomenon. So, help me out. What do you see that’s good? When you’ve told me in a comment, then I want you to go out into your own world and look for the good. If you decide to post a photograph to find only the good, got to Nancy’s blog and read what she has to say, then come back and tell me and I will link you here.
Here’s hoping your day is filled with only the good.
See other Only The Good Posts:
Tumbled Words
Inside Mo’s Mind
Related posts:
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a hard one
…how about the delicious honey flavor the bees will add to the hummingbird’s food? That is, if they ever buzz off from there and let the poor birds eat.
Sorry, best I can do with that one!
Jessica
It is a hard one! My hummingbirds are really ticked off at me, too! But, your answer is a good one!
Oh I see something wonderful in this picture! Sorry about the hummingbirds but what you have there are some beautiful honey bees. The US is having a very serious problem right now with the honey bee population. The bees are disappearing and dying and no one knows why… this is very disturbing! So what I see there, are some very happy honey bees which is a very good thing indeed!
Teresa
I’ll take your word that they are honeybees and not hornets. I knew about the problem for the bees (which is indeed a problem for US). Happy honey bees is a good thing. I just wish I could make them happy and feed the hummers, too
~skt
Yeah, to Teresa! That’s what *I* was gonna say! With the decline of the honey-bees, I thought these pics were Uber-good…let them drink all that sweet nectar, and make some yummy honey for me (and Pooh-bear)!!
I like honey, yes I do. I’m happy that the bees are happy and well fed. But, those hummers are making me feel soooo guilty!
Gotta find a way to make them both happy.~skt
I have to agree with Teresa—the honeybees are the good in this picture. They are pollinators of flowering plants, including fruits and vegetables and in so many areas there is actually a bee shortage.
We need those bees so we can continue to have productive agricultural regions—and let us not forget the—good ole honey—we love.
Well, they all took my answer! Bees are on a major decline – AND by eating your food rather than eating blueberries, etc. that people have sprayed Roundup or poisons on, you are helping them to regain their population – like Bald Eagles did!
And I see sunlight and shadows for wildlife to play hide ‘n seek in – and photosynthesis galore – using all your carbon dioxide and making oxygen.
And – a wrought iron gate just hoping that someday it can become yard art when it is much much older.
Good answer! You did more than I could. I couldn’t see past the bees, and the fact that I’m allergic to their sting~skt
This is difficult for me as I am terrified of bees and hornets….yikes! The fear is so bad I’m embarrassed by it.
The only good I can possibly see – is it isn’t in my yard…now that is just plain terrible..I know!
A very honest answer, and actually one that is a good answer! I like it~skt
I like this because it’s a photo that makes you look once, pause, and look again. My favorites!
I think this is a wonderful exercise. I might try it on my blog as well.
As you had said, this is a matter of retraining your brain. When we look at something like the bees we are inclined to think about the fact that they sting. We forget that they pollinate flowers or that they make honey. We zero in on the pain they have caused us and we let that memory become of the sum of their parts.
We do the very same thing with people. We forget that a person is so much more than his flaws, failures or sins. A man can commit a crime which becomes his 15 minutes of ignorance, and we then use this failing to label him. For 20, 30, 40 years he might have been a father, a son, a friend, a companion, a loyal worker, perhaps a painter or writer. Then suddenly he is reduced to a title- maybe thief, drunk, adulterer even murderer. The sum of his parts pale in comparison to the weight of his failure.
I tell my children repeatedly that everyone- EVERYONE in this world has something to teach and something to offer. If you spend you time discrediting others because you fail to see how a poor man, a con man, or a simple man has nothing to teach you, you might miss out on the most valuable lesson of all. Every person has their own unique life experience. Certainly there is much to be learned from someone who offers something unique.
Well, I hadn’t even thought so far as learning a life lesson from the bees! That’s an excellent answer, well worded! Thank you.~skt
The first beauty is the bee’s themselves. We need them for our very survival as they are responsible for pollination. The beautiful colors of the hummingbird feeder and the lush background.
Yes, Sandee…I like all those things. I guess I’ll have to get over my fears of being stung by bees in order to enjoy the back yard now.~skt
Interesting…