Sunday, May 16, 2010

the little ecology

i like that trees make spaces for the rocks
cradling them in their roots
and that the rocks
hold the warmth
of the sun
and the goodness of the rain
giving the soil
and the little creatures
a place to gather
and grow

it seems like such a simple
agreement
such a fundamental understanding

reciprocal care

kindness without condition


14 comments:

angryparsnip said...

Wonderful post.
Your photos besides lovely to look at are always so thoughtful.
I also like when when trees take care of the earth.
I wrote in my blog about how the Palo Verde Tree is the nurse plant for the Saguaro Cactus. After sheltering the Saguaro for about a hundred years the Palo Verde tree dies and the Saguaro is by then strong enough to live on its own.
Amazing !

cheers parsnip

Elisabeth said...

Oh that we humans could do likewise - reciprocal care, but perhaps that's too simple a proposition given all he inequalities that exist between us. Thanks, Steven.

Jinksy said...

A perfect partnership; if only humans would learn to do the same...

Pauline said...

makes me smile to think it can happen so readily among some species...

steven said...

hello angry parsnip! thankyou for your generous comment. i also appreicte your adding the cool story about the palo verde tree. all through nature there are examples of the kind of unconditional care i wish was in greater evidence in people. i wonder why it's so much harder for people to apply this model to their lives? steven

steven said...

elisabeth - i think you touch on one feature of the challenge here. the perception of inequality. as soon as some sort of stratification takes place based on a feature or features of people we have inequalities. hmmmm. steven

steven said...

jinksy - yes that's where i'm heading with my thinking here! steven

steven said...

pauline - mmm hmmm. i wonder why or how they managed to resolve this essential piece of relationship? steven

Titus said...

steven, your blog is space for me! Thanks.

Jenny Stevning said...

Gentle and wonderful!
"reciprocal care"
I love these words.

Helen said...

Reciprocal care .... we should all practice this. Lovely, Steven.

Linda Sue said...

Give and take- life on this planet- there are some opportunistic plants claiming the land or lakes for themselves, especially if the eco system is not in balance...balance seems to be the key.Don't give too much don't take too much. Love the shot of the rock/root cuddle.

Anonymous said...

Hi Steven...
This is a special post. I enjoyed it.

Reya Mellicker said...

I've been thinking about the new British government and how they've decided to embrace all the different factions. If they can work out a way to support each other, wouldn't that be great?

Anyway your post reminded me of that truth, that alliances even among disparate things are always a possibility.