Becoming Naturalized
I notice the theme of my recent journal posts are saying pretty much the same thing. So, here’s another one. Advocating for the natural world bears repeating, over and over…
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Since the advent of distant travel, humans haven’t been the only ones to take a trip. Seeds from plants originating in distant lands hitchhike on shoes and transports, falling to the ground in unfamiliar territory to take root. Sometimes, these exotic species find better circumstances than in their original territory and thrive in their new home, much to the detriment of the native flora. Over time, the imported plants can overwhelm the natives and are labeled “invasive.” Other species seem to discover a niche that blends well with the native community and become “naturalized.”
I remember being delighted by a beautiful little flower growing on the banks of the Metolius River. The plant hosted clusters of intense pink blossoms peppered with little white spots. The vibrant five-petaled flowers sat atop slender green stems with narrow leaves. Tarn and I had trouble identifying the plant, even after drawing on all our skills and reference guides. Finally, we looked outside the box of our assumptions about native plants and discovered it to be a Deptford pink (Dianthus armeria), a flower common to most of Europe and an escapee from cultivation. In other words, an import from far away.
We pulled up the plant and took it to the forest service headquarters to report a possible invasive. It turns out to be of little concern so far since it does not seem to take over a wide area unlike the invasive cheatgrass which overcrowds local species. In our locale, Dianthus armeria is naturalized, growing here and there but finding a balanced existence among other plants. I wonder if we human imports will ever become naturalized.
Those of us who originated in Europe and other lands seem to be invasive, supplanting the indigenous humans and sowing seeds that have overwhelmed the country. We live a separate existence, disconnected from the lessons of our new home. We do not work to become naturalized to our environment. I do feel that I learn from the nature here and listen to indigenous elders when the opportunity arises, but I am a part of a larger population that continues to wreak havoc on the environment.
We must be mindful of this and take steps to heal the wounds inflicted by our insensitivity to those whose land we occupy. The indigenous people and other life forms will teach us if we are willing to listen. Actually, our natural mind will teach us if we liberate the blindness of our conditioned awareness and restore our capacity to see through the eyes of nature. This helps us become naturalized to our place in the world and then act as kind stewards of the environment. It is good for our awareness to be invaded by nature to remind us of our true home. Maybe we can plant seeds of love and become overwhelmed by compassion.