The Sting of Disappointment

This weekend produced a lesson I didn’t necessarily want to learn. It started on Saturday afternoon with the routine trimming of some shrubs that grace the front of our house. I was diligently working on a large arborvitae that has become a bigger project each year. All was going well until I heard some angry buzzing and felt the sharp stings of a yellow jacket swarm whose summer nest under the bushes had gone unnoticed until now. My work had invaded their home and they didn’t like it. The hedge clipper was sent flying as I desperately fought to rid myself of the unrelenting attack. Eventually I had killed some of the assailants and restored a semblance of order to the situation. But the damage was done as the welts on my arm and head soon proved.

This is not my first encounter with yellow jackets. Nearly 25 years ago I still have vivid memories of an even more aggressive attack while whacking weeds at my former home in central Pennsylvania. Fortunately I am not allergic to the venom and so I simply endure the pain that ensues without any lasting damage. Of course this isn’t the end of my story.

While bee stings produce immediate pain, eventually the ache and traumatic memories are gone. But what about the sting of disappointments that seem so prevalent in today’s world? Later that same day I, like many other Penn State football fans, watched in disbelief as our team gave up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and dashed any hopes of an undefeated season. This afternoon (Sunday) “Steelers nation”, of which I am a proud member, saw our team lose in the closing minutes of the game for our first back-to-back losses in some time. I still have friends who have experienced job layoffs and are no closer to a permanent position with a new company. There are patients suffering from illness and disease whose prognosis is less than promising. The disappointments of life produce pain that is deeper and more enduring than any bee sting.

I was told today that we choose to allow discouragement to take over our thought process. The perseverance we need to finish what we have started is easily thwarted by the many distractions that bombard us daily. Some of these diversions result from our lack of focus; others may be caused by anxiety and fear. Regardless of the source we must remain centered on the larger vision and purpose for our lives. Without regular efforts at renewal—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—we will find ourselves caught in the clutches of depression instead of doing what we can to finish well.

The bees in my bushes reminded me this weekend of my own need to respond differently to life’s many disappointments. Instead of angry retaliation or smoldering bitterness that leaves me feeling empty and those around me feeling hurt or confused I must focus on renewal and moving on. It isn’t easy to make that choice. By the way, the bees will be getting torched later this week to prevent any further attacks. While they may have provided a poignant element of truth to my reflections about disappointment I’m hoping it will be another 25 years before I meet any of their relatives.