MY LIFE IN A HONEYCOMB
Since 2019, I have lived in a honeycomb. Like a worker bee, I look out of cell of perfect golden hexagons. I’m not much of a math science kind of gal; the opposite is true. I’m all music, art, and emotion. So, I didn’t know the relevance of the hexagon in nature and science. I never gave it much thought, until one morning I was taking a shower and the walls of the shower turned into perfect yellow hexagons. I was a bee inside a honeycomb, except it was my shower.
I thought at the time that it was odd, but I had been experiencing so much “odd” at that time with autoimmune disease, RA, Sjogren’s, and ocular migraines, that I shrugged it off as just another bizarre ocular visualization. I’m not sure if I even mentioned it to my ophthalmologist or my primary care doctor. I can’t recall what they said about it. It didn’t stop at just one visualization, either. For a time, I would see if every time I took a shower. Then I began to see it in the middle of the night. When I would awake, there would be a patch of hexagons in my central vision, in both eyes. I was told if you see strange objects in both eyes, its likely to be ocular migraines. For many years now, I see layers of hexagons, sometimes three levels deep.
From the honeycomb, basalt columns of the Giant’s causeway in Ireland, the gigantic hexagonal cloud storm on Saturn, soccer balls, turtle shells, to the microscopic heart of a snowflake, hexagons are here to stay. I was inspired to study hexagons and what I found was intriguing. The pattern must have 6 equal sides, 6 vertices and 6 angles. The word hexagon is derived from the Greek words "hexa" meaning six and "gonia" meaning angle. To quote the father in the movie, “My big fat Greek wedding” …“So, there you go!”
Apparently, the hexagon is the powerhouse of symbolism, it communicates balance and trust. If I were a graphic designer, I would use hexagons in flyers to show reliability and solid foundation showing trust and professionalism. The shape is pleasing to the eye and fits into design concepts. From interior spaces adorned with hexagonal tiles to futuristic-looking structures featuring hexagon-inspired facades, the hexagon remains a powerful symbol of balance, harmony, and spiritual connection.
The Middle Ages saw the honeycomb symbol take on a more spiritual meaning, particularly within Christian contexts. The hexagonal cells were often seen as symbols of the divine order and the universe's perfect design. The bees were on to something; ancient civilizations recognized the hexagon's symbolism and used it as a means to connect with the divine. By infusing their art and architecture with hexagonal patterns, they sought to create spaces that are ordered and fit together efficiently. Beyond its religious and geometric significance, the hexagon also holds profound meaning for personal growth and self-discovery.
Since these hexagonal visualizations are out of my control, I have decided to not allow myself to be troubled by it. Next time I wake in the night, or take a shower within the beehive, I will reflect on harmony, personal growth, industry, order, and will strive to connect with the divine.
