Pests

 

I was struck by the beauty of the newly blooming dandelions this week. Those bright yellow little blooms everyone works so hard to keep out of their lawns are much maligned when you consider that they are not just beautiful, but you can eat them too. And they grow almost anywhere, under some of the worst conditions.

Why, with all these accolades do we consider the dandelion a weed? Because it is a volunteer. It grows where it is not wanted and dares to compete with the cultivated plants. Human beings like control. It gives us a sense of power we might, otherwise, not feel. And so the lowly dandelion becomes a victim.

That has happened to other species as well. People decide they must rid their country of some particular pest and that creature, person, or plant, is chased down and eliminated. Boom! It's gone and only then do the ramifications of its existence rise into public consciousness.

Nature takes care of itself given enough time. She is slow but persistent and because of that she seldom makes mistakes. 

Why do so many people doubt that she will eventually rid herself of the greatest pest she has ever encountered; one that is destroying not just her flora and fauna, but the very air they need to survive?

It is not a foregone conclusion. There is still time to prove ourselves worthy of living on this beautiful planet, but we need to play by the rules. If we destroy all our playmates through greed, lack of compassion and with a complete disregard for the consequences, we will destroy ourselves too.