lichen
Lichen is a unique organism that does not have roots and grows in almost every ecosystem on earth from the arctic tundra to the hottest desert. This structure is not a plant or parasite but a combination of both. It is a symbiotic partnership between fungi and algae. In tandem, the fungus provides the structures and protection from drying out while the algae is the photosynthetic power producing food for both organisms.
Grow in unison.
Why the biology lesson?
I invite you to look at yourself. Look at your growth. Look at the relationships in your life and how they support vitality. Who are partners in your life that create a similar harmony where you are able to thrive?
As a society we place so much emphasis on growth, ability and success. But what about the success of being able to sustain growth for thousands of years?! This is the epitome of ‘slow and steady wins the race’.
Lichens are a pioneer species that actually prepare a site for everyone else. They break down the rocks to create the soil infrastructure for generations to come. They are willing to go slow, where no one else is able, so that others may flourish. With over 20,000 species identified, each of these partnerships is its own micro-ecosystem. Its growth is limited to one to two millimeters a year, restricted by the moisture and nutrients available in the atmosphere. The priority is survival over expansion.
As I am out on a walk, I will see fragments of lichen that are four or five inches long that have fallen from a tree branch. I pick them up and find a new space for a hopeful transplant. That living being is far older than I am, it deserves a new space to call home. Often the most successful reproduction is where that “hunk” lands to start the process again. This transplant is saying, where I was is no longer where I want to be. I get that.
As you look at your life, I imagine there are moments when you wish you could speed up time. But I am here to say, sometimes the healthiest indicators of health and vitality are slow. They need partnerships with others to deepen their strength. They need clean moist air, nutrient rich environments and space to stretch. We need to be pioneers in connection to breakdown old structures for the betterment of future generations.
When I think of what this organism needs, I see it is also what I need.
This Week’s A Door Within:
Who in my life is a symbiotic relationship?
How could I grow slower?
What structure do I want to break down for future generations?
♥Ashley
