Pride deafens us to the advice or warnings of those around us. – John C. Maxwell

I am a big believer in giving our lawn one last mow in the late Fall.  I’d love to tell you it has ancillary agricultural benefits and prepares the grass to come back stronger and thicker in the Spring.  But, if I’m being honest, the main reason I do it is to significantly reduce the amount of leaf raking I have to do later in the season.  It all turns to mulch, right?

Anyway, it was an unseasonably warm day in Mid-November and I figured this was my last chance.  So I cranked up the old mower and got busy living!  I had my Airpods in, and was blissfully going about my business, when I felt a SHARP pain in my calf.  I froze in place and didn’t react, thinking it strange that it came out of nowhere.  Did I just pull a muscle?  Had I been shot?  With the music blasting, I couldn’t hear any outside noises and was too clueless to do anything.  Then I heard a loud buzz in my ear.  Two yellow jackets stung my right ear lobe.  THAT got my full attention! 

In a full panic, I immediately dropped to my knees and army-crawled out of danger.   Once I felt safe, I looked back and couldn’t believe the scene.  I had mowed over an underground yellow jacket nest, and what appeared to be the entire hive was buzzing around my abandoned lawnmower.  Yikes! The bees were very systematic in their approach:

Fire a warning shot.  If the guy is too clueless to respond, send two more to re-enforce the warning.   If that STILL doesn’t work, mobilize the entire colony to make sure this joker never touches another hive again!

In retrospect, while the stings were painful, they were not fatal and it healed soon enough.  I’m glad I got the picture before before all hell was unleashed.

And we need to be just as vigilant with the warning signs in our everyday lives.

A Shot Across the Bow

We all get signals—subtle at first, then louder. Pride often deafens us to advice or warnings. At work, we may miss deadlines, get a poor review, or experience that sinking feeling before meetings.  Of course, we need to power through and stay resilient.  We can’t just bail at the first sign of discomfort and adversity.  But sometimes these are warning shots that our talents are suited elsewhere.

Instead of waiting for the swarm, maybe it’s time to pivot.  Maybe we need to learn new skills, explore a new passion, or seek a role that fits before the hive mobilizes.  We only get so many shots across the bow!

Life’s Yellow Jacket Warnings

And the same is true in our personal lives.  A loved one says, “You’ve been hitting it hard lately.”  That’s the first sting. Ignore it, and the next sting might be a health scare or broken trust. The universe whispers through those who care—are we listening?

And what about our relationships?  Constant conflict, eroding trust, and emotional exhaustion are buzzing signs. Perhaps we need a change before resentment poisons everything. Waiting only multiplies the pain.

Life rarely blindsides us without sending signals first. Fatigue, stress, recurring conflict, financial strain—these are all yellow jackets circling. Will we pause and act before the swarm? Or keep mowing over nests, pretending everything is fine?

Avoid the Swarm

The universe is always speaking to us—through circumstances, through people, through that quiet voice inside our heads. Our job is to listen. Humility opens our ears; pride slams them shut. When we heed early warnings, the pain is temporary. Ignore them, and the consequences multiply.  I know it sounds heavy, but at the very least we need to be aware of our surroundings.

So, what nest are we mowing over today? What buzz are we pretending not to hear? Everything will be okay, but we need to listen and act. Because the stings hurt—but they’re nothing compared to the swarm.