The Secret Life of Bees

Did you know that Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel The Secret Life of Bees has created a buzz on the big screen?

Catch this moving movie if you have not. And for those who have always found the world of bees and honey mesmerizing, this is a remarkable treat. The dialogues of the characters are soaked with intriguing philosophical wisdom. Here're some quotes from the story, which bring us many life lessons from the bees:

"...the world is really one big bee yard, and the same rules work 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."

"There's a fullness of time for things... You have to know when to prod and when to be quiet, when to let things take their course."

"There is nothing perfect... There is only life."

"... women make the best beekeepers, 'cause they have a special ability built into them to love creatures that sting. It comes from years of loving children and husbands."

"The whole problem with people is ... they know what matters, but they don't choose it... The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters."

"Quietness has a strange, spongy hum that can nearly break your eardrums."

"As I walked, I began to hear the sound of running water. It's impossible to hear that sound and not go searching for the source."

If you need something from somebody, always give that person a way to hand it to you.

"Bees have a secret life we don't know about."

Watch Trailer at You-Tube

"This beautiful movie centers on Lily, a strong-willed white girl who fought to uncover the truth about her long-dead mother. On her painful and difficult journey of discovery, Lily saved her black nanny from arrest and beating, ran away with her from her abusive father and was taken in by a family of black bee-keeping sisters, May, June and August. The insights into the three sisters were moving and the finale of the movie, heart-warming. It's a lesson about unconditional love and forgiveness. The bees presage this journey of Lily toward self-acceptance, faith and freedom. With this, she finally found the love and happiness that she yearned for in this special family."

Siew Yim, Singapore
27 April 2009

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End of "The Secret Life of Bees". Back to "20 Amazing Honey Bee Facts!"