Love and Bees

"I hadn't been out to the hives before, so to start off she gave me a lesson in what she called "bee yard etiquette". She reminded me that the world was really one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places: Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and long pants. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting. If you feel angry, whistle. Anger agitates, while whistling melts a bee's temper. Act like you know what you're doing, even if you don't. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved."
- Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

I read this book several years ago, and this paragraph really stuck with me. I was pondering it today while at work, walking through an area fill with people who are relative strangers to me. Does it seem that some people are defensive, and they swat, or strike out, as soon as they see you? And I think I need to learn to whistle.