Bees and flowering plants have a mutualistic relationship where both species benefit. Flowers provide bees with nectar and pollen, that worker bees collect to feed their entire colonies, while bees provide flowers with the means to reproduce by spreading pollen from flower to flower. Although most peonies are able to self-pollinate when isolated, peony plants still have to be cross-pollinated in order to get genetic diversity. Peony blooms emit subtle, sweet fragrances in order to attract their pollinators and meet their need for pollination.
What a beautiful example this is of our human “self-sufficiency” yet our need for community and diversity in order to thrive. Clearly we are in a time where most of us are isolated from our communities. While there is a lot of beautiful fruit that is blooming in isolation (self care, relational intentionality, learning to be content with small victories) many people are finding ways to get around the separation in order to connect with their community and experience the thriving that comes from relationship. We can only experience transformative diversity outside of ourselves. We need the help of others around us to cause us to grow and flourish. Alone we can survive, together we thrive. Why stand alone, when you can thrive together?
