There is a short interval in Spring when this ephemeral plant is present. The leaves are fleshy. The flowers are not boastful. I find the spasm of it’s lifespan perfectly reflective of humankind. It reminds me I am on a journey – this world is not my permanent home. Because if it was, the things I have a particular predilection for would never leave. They would simply stay. So I like what thought is invoked by this plant. The other abstract part of this plant, which I quite like, is it’s effect on distance. When I come across a wooded tract of land during a hike, the dark places at the farthest reaches of my vision seem uninviting. Yet, when I see acres of Mertensia virginica cloaking the rich forest floor, I am invited into the heart of that wood, to stay. And then I feel quite at ease.
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