Building a relationship

For thousands of years, we, humans, picked our fruits from the trees; smelled lily of the valley from the bushes in the valleys; and walked into the forest, mountains, deserts to watch the landscapes, the animals, and the plants. We had a direct relationship with nature around us. We sorted out which plant is toxic, and which is edible; which seeds we should collect and plant; which trees to pick the fruits from for the next meal of the family. Our survival relied on the daily knowledge we gathered from nature and the decision we made based on that knowledge. We were scientists. Our lifestyle is changed now. We pick our fruits from the grocery store shelves; smell the lily of the valley from a bottle of perfume; and watch the landscapes, the animals, and the trees on TV or through Instagram posts. We usually do not realize where the food we consume is coming from and where the flower of our favorite smell lives. Is our direct relationship with nature getting lost?

What does a direct relation mean for us? Let’s say we have close friends that we love and care for.  We enjoy and benefit from being with them. Do we harm them or accept someone else to harm them? Most of our answers probably will be no. Then what about our green friends, plants? Many of us may not feel how close we are to them. The beautiful organisms who generously produce our food and fuel, decorate our gardens and apartments, make the most comfortable textile for our clothes, and most importantly, produce the oxygen we breathe. Are we close enough to them to protect them from harm? Since I am a scientist, a storyteller by heart, I decided to narrate the tale of these wonderful green friends. These narrations may help them to be recognized, understood.