When we know a plant deeply, and when we feel an embodied sense of connection to the place where we live, we are far are less likely to do harm. When relationships to plants and places become a crucial part of our lives, we treat them both with more care.
I often wonder how it feels for a plant not to be known in this deep sense. Maybe lonely. I have noticed that knowing the marigolds, in particular, and greeting them each year, makes me feel less lonely. Through my relationship with them I’ve come to understand that plants are not merely materials for dye, but sovereign beings, offering themselves that they might be known.
