The Wonder of Working bees.
Recently we had two working bees and they were on the same day and everything. Some of us went to pack up the Book fair, until next year… and some of us went and polished shiny stuff in the Church ready for Easter. Both were important, both were exciting and both accomplished rather a lot.
But it is not just the physical activity of a working bee that it is important. It is not just in the doing, but there is a certain sense of satisfaction in looking back and ‘seeing where you’ve been’. The books are all tidied away, the brass is shiny and a bit of exercise is very good for you.
But look a little deeper, friends. There is certain delicious chemistry that occurs when folk work together on a common project. A cohesive collegiality is formed. It happens invisibly, surreptitiously and at no particular distinguishable moment in time. But by the end of the project, yes dear reader, something has happened, and we are all changed for the better.
This marvellous process happens because of the working together. It happens in and through the conversations. It even happens in the silence when you think that nothing is happening. But actually it is in the silence that everything is happening.
At the end of both of these working bees we were different people. New friendships had been formed and other friendships had matured and been strengthened. They had become all the more richer and deeper… more flavoursome.
In the packed up space and in the shiny brass we looked at the image in the candlestick and we saw ourselves. We too had become shiny and fresh again. Such is the wonder of working bees.