Sitting on my deck this morning I saw one of those big
Japanese hornets flying around. Of
course I don’t really know what kind of bug this was. Normally those hornets are so loud you can
hear them before you see them. This one
was the stealth variety, I suppose. He
came over toward my chair, and I lost sight of him. I wondered if he would sneak up behind me and
sting my leg. The mosquitoes love to
sneak around and bite me where I can’t see them.
Then it occurred to me that the hornet didn’t really want to
sting me. He was looking for food or a
friend, or a water fountain. The hornet
would only bother me if I threatened him.
Stinging bugs sting because they feel threatened.
Biting bugs, however, will go after me. They need food and consider me a
provider. It doesn’t matter if I provoke
them. Biting bugs bite because they want
food.
This was a big aha for me.
The stinging bugs are just protecting themselves, and the biting bugs are
out for blood.
Both bites and stings hurt, but the motivation behind them
is very different.
Bites and stings also happen in relationships. Most of the hurts, I believe, are just
stings. People feel threatened, and lash
out to protect themselves. Some are very
touchy and easily provoked, like yellow jackets. They become very aggressive, and just plain mean. Others are more easy going and rarely sting,
like wasps.
Those who bite are predators. They seek conflict and thrive on sucking the
life out of others. They come after their
victims. They are always sneaky, like
the mosquito that bites your neck, or the tick that lurks under your
clothes. For some unhealthy reason, people
who bite feel like they need conflict to survive.
The bites and stings in life hurt. Maybe it helps to know the motive behind the
hurts. We can watch out for those who
bite and take steps to avoid having our blood sucked. We can recognize the stings as self-defense
and handle them with grace.
See any mosquitoes or hornets in your life? How about when you look in the mirror?
