40 Decisions You’ll Make
biology of nature. From freezing, snowy winters emerge the sweet smells
and pastel colors of fruit-tree blossoms. A few short weeks later, what
were seemingly cold, lifeless trunks and branches pointing skyward are
now balls of vibrant life. As orchards come into full bloom, they beckon
honeybees and other creations of nature to join in.
From this wonderland come fruits and vegetables that end up on
grocery-store shelves and home kitchens. If we take the time to look
closer, the simple banana is no longer a utilitarian source of calories
but a biological marvel whose changing color is the perfect indicator of
ripeness. Such marvels are not confined to bananas. Thick outer rinds
protect the juicy cores of watermelons. Pliable skins of oranges and
grapefruit keep microscopic invaders out while allowing the fruit inside
to grow and mature. All are reminders of how nature protects our food
supply. Yet nature is doing more.
If you can, instead of buying already shelled tree nuts, make the effort
to crack open some walnuts or pecans. Take a moment to notice how
the seed’s hard shell accommodates the next generation of life inside.
Or examine how kernels of wheat come with a built-in food source that
bridges time until the Sun’s rays and photosynthesis can take over and
sustain the next generation.
Before plunging a fork into the next plateful of food, pause to admire
the array of colors on display. Ask yourself how each ended up on your
dinner table. Think about the journey that each one has traveled—how
they competed for life, evolved to ward off predators, and adapted to
changes in climate and temperature.
Take a moment to give thanks for an environment that nourishes
and sustains your life. Consider the contributions of innumerable forces
of energy that go unnoticed. The water that transports and filters nu-
trients through layers of sediment. The soil with microbes too numerous
to count yet too essential to live without. And the millions of other spe-
cies, each with its own unique fingerprint, that fulfill important niches
in the grand tapestry of nature, without which we would not be here.
Before that first bite, pause to contemplate how nightfall, sunshine,
changing temperatures, and climate work in concert to support food
production while providing you with a rhythm of life and a sense of
normalcy.