Busy, Like A Bee

by Midnight Freemason Contributor

WB Robert H. Johnson

There I was, staring at the ceiling, it was sometime early in the morning, too late to go back to bed since I had to get up with my son to get him ready for the school bus. It was also a little too early to actually sit up and look out the window. I had a lot to do that day, it was the day before I was installed as Worshipful Master of my lodge. My wife, being super awesome was basically handling everything. I remember a feeling of excitement, but also dread. 

On top of all the other Masonic stuff I do, I'd now be the Master of a lodge. Then, I really started to think, "Man, am I busy...maybe too busy." And as I closed my eyes, in the split second before I fell back asleep  and the alarm going off, you know the place, I'm sure. Some call it twilight. My mentor showed up and was flipping through slides on a projector. He was silent, no words he spoke but he was saying something. I couldn't quiet see what he was pointing at.

It was a special dream because Curtis, my mentor, had gone on to that undiscovered country. Here he was, nonetheless showing me something. As I tried to see what it was, his voice started to come through, he was singing "Keep the Car Running" by Arcade Fire, which was just bizarre. Then just before I woke up, I saw it. It was the bee hive. That icon or symbol which teaches all Masons to be busy, be industrious and to be always working for the better good of humanity. 

When I opened my eyes, I reached over and shut of my alarm, which was the cause of Curtis' singing. That was the song my alarm was playing. But that is also the moment, I realized that this amount of busy, is par for the course of an active Freemason. The Brothers who read, who study, who teach, who run programs and set up charity drives are devout officers to their lodges and are at every function that they can possibly be, this was par for the course indeed. Brothers we are just busy, busy bees. 

It's time to just quit thinking about it and get back to work.

~RHJ

Bro. Robert Johnson, 32° is the Managing Editor of the Midnight Freemasons blog. He is a Freemason out of the First North-East District of Illinois. He belongs to Waukegan Lodge No. 78. He is also a member of the York Rite bodies Royal Arch, Cryptic Council, Knights Templar, AMD, The Illinois Lodge of Research and a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Chicago as well as a charter member of the Society of King Solomon, a charity organization run by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. Brother Johnson currently produces and hosts a weekly Podcast (internet radio program) Whence Came You? which focuses on topics relating to Freemasonry. In addition, he produces video shorts focusing on driving interest in the Fraternity and writes original Masonic papers from time to time. He is a husband and father of three. He works full time in the safety industry and is also a photographer on the side as well as an avid home brewer. He is currently working on a book of Masonic essays.