Once upon a time there was a mouse and a bramble.* . The mouse made a nest under the bramble where its thorns, nature’s barbed wire, offered protection. The mouse family ate the bramble’s berries. The mice excreted the eaten berries. This dispersed the seeds of the bramble and gave them a good chance of sprouting, as the mouse poo acted as fertiliser.
I love this story. It demonstrates the interconnectedness of all things. In this case its a connectedness that is mutually beneficial. Two species depending on and supporting each other.
It also shows an elegant life cycle. The waste of one creature is the means of birth for another living entity. Ultimately, nothing is wasted. Everything has a use and is significant.
We live in a world that focuses very much on the production of berries. That is, an ever increasing production of products or generation of money and income. As we know, this is unsustainable and often leaves us feeling worn out and dissatisfied.
We have lost sight of the fact that it isn’t the berries/generation of money alone that is important. We have also disconnected ourselves from what happens to the waste. What matters is the cycle and the (mutually dependent) life that is supported.
We are changing our perspective and understanding of how we live. The story of the mouse and the bramble is a beautiful tale of how things can work, connect up and continue.
*This is a version of a story found on an information board in the woodland at Kew Gardens.
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