Helping God’s creatures took an unexpected and micro-sized twist when a young newlywed couple adopted an injured bumblebee.
Katharina and Anton Wallén were married last October, and Katharina’s Instagram account recently exploded in popularity after she shared a short video about the couple’s unexpected new “pet.”
Katharina wrote in her Instagram video:
Three weeks ago I saw this bumblebee walking along a country road. It started to follow me.
She was obviously searching for flowers, and seemed very hungry. So I picked a flower and placed it in front of her.
That’s when I realized that she only had one intact wing and couldn’t fly anymore.
We decided to take care of her; we gave her sugar water and took her in. Then we created a little shelter for her.
She’s been living with us for three weeks now and is feeling really well.
Every day we pick fresh flowers for her. We also built her a small cave, where she often relaxes.
She’s become a cherished part of our days.
Since then, she’s continued to share photos and videos of little Sweet Pea the bumblebee, delighting the bee’s growing fan club.
Care for the little things
This couple’s kindness to a tiny bee puts into action the Christian call to care for the little things.
Mother Teresa used to say, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Pope Francis, meanwhile, told young people “to change the world with the little things of every day, with generosity, with sharing, with listening to others and creating attitudes of brotherhood.”
What a moving example of great love in the little things, in this case a little animal. As bumblebee populations face challenges, this couple’s act of kindness seems especially poignant.
We think that St. Francis, the patron of animals, would heartily approve!
