10.22.09
Stirring Up the Hornet’s Nest
After a week of backpacking and camping in the High Sierras my son, cousin, and I were anxious to complete our final trek back to civilization. As we began our push up the last rocky incline, my son commented that there was a hive of yellow jackets. I thought nothing of it until he began to scream while running past me and tearing at his clothes. The hive containing hundreds of yellow jackets was in a depression in the ground and exploded with fury even though we were a few feet away from it. My cousin began yelling and running for cover (he doesn’t run). Every time we slowed down, the yellow jackets continued to swarm and sting. I shouted for everyone to keep running. With fifty pound packs at 8000 feet of elevation that was not an easy task. After several hundred yards we outdistanced the yellow jackets and were able to start first aid treatment. Fortunately, everyone was fine except for the pain of the stings.
Three weeks later I now see a little humor and life lessons from stirring up the hornet’s nest.
Lessons from the hornets:
Never stop stinging. Unlike the honey bee which only stings once, a yellow jacket (hornet) stings repeatedly until the threat is gone. Have you been tempted recently to toss in the towel? Don’t do it. Keep fighting, keep stinging and make it happen.
Explode with fury. Enthusiasm is contagious. Inspire those you lead with a vision that leads to success.
Swarm the problem. There is power in swarming a challenge. If it is a competitive situation or challenge, swarm it with ideas and people then execute it efficiently.
Take action. Yellowjackets don’t hesitate when they perceive a threat & neither should you. Take decisive action- waffling or the inability to follow through leads to failure.
Swat the snot out of the next hornet you see…just for me.
Regards,
Brian Boek
