Written by Online therapist Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph.D.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN STUNG?

Bees, Barns, and the Buzz of Unexpected Lessons

Sometimes pain comes with pie. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how bee stings—literal and metaphorical—can spark resilience, humor, and even a deeper connection to nature and family lore.

I can safely report that I have never been stung by a bee or wasp. However, I have watched this happen to others. I was home from college one summer and my parents had this huge fenced backyard. I was on the screened porch and my mother had taken a basket to collect rhubarb from the corner garden at the edge of the property because making a rhubarb pie was on the menu! Suddenly, screams erupted and she ran for the porch. A hoard of bumblebees had made a nest underground in the garden. They, of course, perceived her as a threat and attacked immediately. Fortunately, my mother can run really fast. She was stung a lot but the outcome was not as bad as it could have been.

Later, my father was summoned to smoke them out and kill them. Which he did quite successfully. As a result, rhubarb pie was on the menu the next night!

My second observance takes a bit more explanation. First, you must be able to identify with “farm folk.” Their humor tends to be more on the physical, embarrassing side. Both of my parents come from a long line of farmers so bear with me. I have an adult cousin who loves to pull practical jokes, but they always have this physical consequence as the outcome. When visiting him with my new husband, we went treasure hunting in the hayloft of a barn that my cousin had recently purchased. He reported that an old spinning wheel was housed in the hayloft. I wanted that object! Think of it. An old spinning wheel! The perfect conversation starter in the front hall of our new home. I had to have it!

Here is where my cousin’s sense of twisted humor enters the picture. He had of course spotted this gem and let me know about it. The part that he left out is that he had also spotted a hornet’s nest in the hayloft as well. So, when he and my husband went to retrieve the wheel, he, of course, sent my husband up the ladder first.

I do not need to describe the outcome. Husband: badly stung. Cousin: bent over in laughter.

Outcome: Cousin had to remove the nest and retrieve the spinning wheel on his own.

Where do these relatives come from?

Want to explore the deeper meaning behind bee stings and emotional resilience? Visit Soulful Creature’s guide to the spiritual meaning of bee stings, Wisdom of the Spirit’s reflections on transformation through pain, and Spiritual Mojo’s insights on boundaries, sacrifice, and growth.

If you’re reflecting on family dynamics, emotional resilience, or unexpected life lessons, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and relational healing.