A Tale of Two Perspectives
While I was crouching and taking pictures along a trail in the Tatras mountains of Slovakia, a middle-aged woman caught my attention as she walked by. Intrigued, she curiously inquired about the object of my fascination. I gestured towards a magnificent Chrysosplenium alternifolium and proudly declared, "Behold, this splendid specimen is a Chrysosplenium." (Well, something more along the lines of, "there's an interesting plant; a Chrysosplenium"). As my words escaped my lips, I witnessed a sudden shift in her demeanour—an abrupt vanishing of enthusiasm, replaced by an unmistakable disappointment. With a tinge of regret, she uttered, "Oh, just a plant."
Observations
Comments
Perhaps she was expecting an insect, bird, or mammal and has not yet "awakened" to the world of plants. Your opportunity to explain why the Chrysosplenium was an interesting find.
Unfortunately, the attention of ordinary people is attracted only by particularly beautiful plants or cute little animals. Few people are able to find beauty, for example, in a thistle or a scorpionfly. But if I meet such a person, I understand that we are "of the same blood".
Well make no mistake Daniel, we appreciate your observations, and admire your ability to turn up surprises all over the place!
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