3 Lessons We All Can Learn From Sunny Bee!
I’ve learned a lot from writing the children’s story book Bee Helpful. However, I’ve learned even
more from reading it to my son. It has become to me a rich repository of meaningful life lessons
subtly weaved into the fabric of a heroic adventure story. In this article, I would like to share
three important lessons that we all could learn from Sunny Bee.!
Bee Friends!
In the Bee Helpful story, Sunny Bee is best friends with a beautiful golden sunflower named
Myah. While it is easy to see that Sunny is a bee and Myah is a flower, it is easy to miss the
meaning there in.
What can we glean from their relationship? First of all Myah is of the plant
kingdom while Sunny is of the animal kingdom. Myah is female, Sunny is male. Myah is
stationary while Sunny is mobile. These two friends could not be more different but yet they are
the best of friends. The lesson here is understanding that we can be friends with anyone no
matter how different we are. It doesn’t matter if they are a plant, a dog, cat, bird, or different
gender, color, religion, culture, etc.!
Bee Compassionate!
If we can replace our judgements with compassion, most problems in our relationships and in
the world for that matter, would dissolve quickly. Somewhere along the way we picked up the
habit to judge each other, ourselves, and just about everything around us. When we judge
things it can make us feel more disconnected from the world we live in.
We can say that I am good and that person is bad and they deserve to have negative things happen to them. For example, we can see a homeless person and judge his whole life in just a few seconds;
concluding that he is a lazy bomb, drug addict, a con, and so on. This allow us to feel good
about our decision we’ve already made not to help this person or people like him. It allows us to
be disconnected and remain selfish instead of compassionate and generous—to contract
instead of expand.
Do we really know the truth about a homeless person that we a few moments ago we did not
even know existed? Of course not. We don’t know that his father ran out on the family or that his
mother died of a drug overdose when he was 7. We don’t know that he was badly abused as
child in the various homes they put him in.
We don’t know the particulars of his circumstances that lead up to where he is now. Just because we heard on the evening news that some homeless people are fakes, doesn’t mean all of them are. Besides, is the nickel or quarter in your pocket really worth all the judging and analysis or your time? I don’t think so. That pocket change may be just enough to someone who can really use it. Also, it will help teach a message to them, you and me; that we are not alone in this world. That there is a least one person who cares about others.
Bee There!
Sunny Bee went on an extraordinary journey trying to help his friend. Being a good friend
includes being there for other people in both good times and bad times. As a friend we must
stand willing to lend our support on a moments notice. We don’t always need to go as far as
Sunny did in the story to help, many times being there for others is simply just giving them your full attention and actively listening.
This is called being present. Be fully present with a child, a pet, in the woods, with a co-worker and see how the experience feels to you and them. We all feel much better when we are valued and heard. Your gift of extraordinary attention will do much more than most can understand.
Conclusion!
In this article, I’ve highlighted three lessons that are quite valuable for our children to be aware
of and practice.
Don’t be afraid to “bee friends” with people of different backgrounds, gender,
beliefs, pets, or even a tree.
Second, it is important to replace many of our judgements with compassion and be there for others. Lastly, when we have compassion it is much easier for us to “bee there” for others. If we have a problem or need help, it feels good when someone comes to our rescue like Sunny did for Myah. Take an opportunity to be there for someone or something and see how it makes them feel and how it makes you feel.
About the author:

He currently resides in northern California with his wife and three boys and works full-time as a software engineer while writing stories for his youngest son in his spare time. J.W. Edwards is busy these days working on a variety of writing projects which includes the Sunny Bee Book Series.
Book number three, Bee Helpful, was the first one to be published. Books 1, 2, and 4 will follow soon in 2014.
Learn more about this series at www.sunnybeebooks.com.
Follow The Tour HERE

Colette is a busy mom of 2 kids focusing solely on being a mom. She hails from the Caribbean and now balances the full life of being a SAHM and dabbling in odd jobs to help around the home. She enjoys sharing her memories, hopes, food, travel, entertainment, and product experiences on her blog. Please read my disclosure

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What a nice foundation to make a cute story on. My favorite kind of learning. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosey. I like the format too. It's helpful to have many varieties for the learning
DeleteI love reading books that share a deeper meaning! This sounds like a fun read!
ReplyDeleteI agree. It just gives a different element.
DeleteThere's always a book for each emotional need right :)
When they get older, compassion does not also work.. my son tries very hard to be compassionate to others that he has known for a very long time, but it comes to a point..
ReplyDeleteI"m not understanding your comment well, but maybe I have a gist.
DeleteThose are all great lessons for kids to learn. Cute book too.
ReplyDeleteMichelle F.
Thank you. That is true
DeleteWhat a great book with great lessons! I try to encourage my child to do all of those things. In fact, one of the many reasons I wanted to move her to a bigger city was so she could see and be around more diversity as I think it is vitally important to learn to love and respect everyone, no matter what their differences are.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chrissie.
DeleteI do agree.
There are so many different ways to encourage children to make these good choices.
Cute story with a fun message! I love reading books to my child.
ReplyDeleteThank you Krystal.
DeleteIt does make for wonderful memories and lifetime benefits!
I'm really loving this book, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI"m so glad it is a good one!
DeleteI love books that teach my kids things. This one is super cute! I love the bee!
ReplyDeleteI do love the books that teach good things too.
DeleteLove the premise of this reading activity! Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for visiting :)
DeleteWhat a wonderful book with fantastic lessons! I love reading books that have a lesson to them to my kids.
ReplyDeleteI love that too Debra.
DeleteThank you for sharing.
What a great book! My kids would love this one.
ReplyDeleteI hope to see it in the library
DeleteSounds like a must have, a book my kids so need! Really cute!
ReplyDeleteI agree. And this is on my wish list to read!
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