Human beings are inclined to pass judgment – on one another, on animals, on plants – even on the weather. Of course it is natural to have likes and dislikes and to be more drawn to one thing, rather than another. This is what makes us individuals and not simply clones. Problems arise; however, when we allow our egos to convince us that we are right and those people or things that do not agree with us, are wrong. We have formed our own opinions, or simply accepted someone else’s opinions as fact. We have been told that plants which seem nearly unstoppable in their growth, are weeds. Those plants which we do not find aesthetically pleasing, or that do not provide us food, are eradicated, as though they are our arch-enemy. But, in spite of our cursing them – verbally and chemically – these plants continue to not only survive, but to thrive. They have learned to adapt.
There is not a scientific classification for weeds. Weeds are plants that are opportunistic. Generally, they are non-native plants that have found themselves on foreign soil where there is little competition. They take advantage of the bare and depleted soil that we have left for them and proliferate at an astonishing rate. Being opportunistic ourselves, we should appreciate this trait in those plants that are able to withstand environmental changes. Our world is changing very rapidly. Species that are not able to adapt to the effects of global warming, or to human encroachment on their habitat, will – and are, becoming extinct.
As our planet continues to warm and as we face more devastating global events, we must learn to think outside the box. The “weeds” that are growing around us can teach us. The fact that they are growing in a particular area tells us what type of soil they are growing in. The weeds are not “bad”. They are showing us what conditions exist for them to thrive, so that we can learn what it is we must do to adapt. They are our teachers and we can learn from them. Every living thing on this planet is undergoing change continually. The speed at which these changes are happening is increasing exponentially. If we ourselves do not learn to adapt and use this opportunity to learn from our mistakes of the past, we too might perish.
