Tatiana and Natalia love to drive me crazy singing along to this Baby Bumblebee song they have on one of their toys.  That song can get stuck in your mind for hours, and yes, I have caught myself bursting into random song here and there one too many times.  In some ways, the song reminds me of Tatiana's magic, and that magic takes me back to a story I told a while back.

I shared Tatiana's story with a group of inspiring young women last summer.  I remember I wanted to remind them how important it is to believe in yourself, even in the most difficult moments.  I remember wanting these young women to realize the power of shaping your own destiny regardless of how others may attempt to define you.  I also remember wanting this message to come from the heart, and as I spoke, I found myself sharing the story of how I was told it was very likely that Tatiana would not walk.  It was in that moment that I realized I had a little bumble bee. 

You see, aerodynamically, it should be impossible for bumble bees to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know that.  So, it flies.  

Tatiana is fearless and admirably defiant.  A few months after torturing myself with all of the what-ifs, Tatiana took her first steps.  In her mind, she has no limitations. She walks, runs, jumps, and dances to the beat of her own drum.  

Some scientists would say that it is scientifically possible for a bumble bee to fly.  They would argue that the problem wasn't the bumble bee; it was the limitation of the scientific lens being used to study the possibility of the bumble bee's flight that was the problem.  Either way, the experience adds up to the same lesson: our destinies are not determined by the opinions and beliefs of others, even if those "others" are considered "experts."

I read somewhere that bumble bees are ancient symbols of good fortune, joy, and harmony.  Like a magical gift, bumble bees remind us we can accomplish what seems impossible while buzzing about in order to awaken us into the moment. 

Bumble bees help us see that life is sweet and filled with brightness, color and light - just like Tatiana, my own little feisty bumble bee.