Friday, September 12, 2014

A Few Reflections...

About to enter my last week here in Jamaica. It feels pretty bitter sweet. Ann just left and will be missed much!

The bees have been doing great. There numbers are strong and they are making an insane amount of honey. They are also making a ton of drones which probably means they are going to swarm. Thank the beautiful new mango blossoms for all this madness! We are probably going to be making splits soon so no colonies are lost.

I'd like to take some time to reflect on the sense of community here. It's really interesting for me who has never lived in a small town to experience this kind of atmosphere and dynamics. Growing up, my neighbors were fences and shrubs. Everyone's property and belongings were distinctly their own and everyone was happy to keep it that way. Here however, everyone knows everyone else. People don't seem reluctant to ask others for favors. News spreads like wildfire. Neighbors are always popping in and out. It's really quite a nice change and I don't think I would mind living in a similar community sometime in the future.

I'm grateful for the time I've spent here because I think it's forced me to look at myself more objectively. I find that this is often true when you leave a place that's become so familiar to you and enter an entirely new environment. I find that a lot of what I don't like so much about myself has been magnified but I've also found a couple surprising strengths which give me some hope for the future. All in all, I think I've become better at letting things roll right off my back and focusing on all that is to be appreciated.


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