For many people, the concept of spending time with a swarm of bees may sound strange, but for farmer Javier Rodriguez, it was the realization of a lifelong desire.
Javier, a middle-aged man from Mexico who possessed weathered hands and a profound affinity for the natural world, was standing in a field on the outskirts of his tiny village. He was encircled on all sides by tens of thousands of wild bees, each with a golden body that glistened in the sunlight. The only thing that prevented him from being completely covered in bees was that he had carefully protected his ears by covering them with a piece of cloth before the bees arrived.
Within a few short minutes, Javier had successfully brought the swarm of wild bees that had converged on him under control. He was free to go around and engage in light conversation with his friends who had arrived to watch this incredible event. Javier Rodriguez, a farmer who was 41 years old at the time, was known throughout Mexico as one of the few bee bearding gurus.
When Javier was just a small lad many years ago, he started his journey into the world of bees. He has come a long way since then. He had a lifelong interest in the complicated cultures of these small organisms, which he found endlessly fascinating. As he got older, his natural curiosity increased, and he started conducting in-depth research on bees. Because of his profound connection to them, he felt compelled to learn everything there was to know about their demeanor and look, which ultimately led him to start keeping bees.
Javier had mastered the ability of attracting the queen bee from their initial colony in order to attract the majestic swarms of bees that were now surrounding him. This allowed him to attract the bees that were now around him. He would take great caution as he led the queen bee to the secluded community of Nueva Esperanza, which is located deep within the Mexican interior. Within a short period of time following her arrival, her devoted subordinates, the worker bees, would follow. They would wrap Javier’s body in a humming, alive shroud as they moved around him.
While Javier stood there, covered with bees, he wore a calm smile that represented the profound connection he had built with these extraordinary creatures. For most individuals, finding comfort and relaxation in the presence of loved ones is the best way to do so, but for Javier, true peace was found in the company of the bees that he cherished so much. It was in this entrancing realm that he experienced the greatest sense of belonging, and it was also here that he learned what it meant to be in touch with the natural world.