A Life Worth Living Comes With Risk

In his book, Edible Wild Plants, John Kallas has a very nice disclaimer that I think is worth giving a tip of the hat to:

If you venture out of your nuclear-proof, earthquake-proof, asteroid-proof bunker into the real world, you might be at risk. Yes, it’s true! You may be hit by a bus or get E coli or staphylococcus poisoning from a church potluck. If you kiss someone, you may get herpes, mono, or worse—a tragic relationship. On the golf course, you may be hit by lightning. If you go ice skating, you may break your neck. If you go on a hike, you may trip on loose rocks, fall over a cliff, and die. Or you might be in the World Trade Center at the wrong time.

Look, you can either curl up under your bed covers and live a safe, dull, insulated life reading about other people doing things you wish you were doing. Or you can join the real world. If you venture into the real world, you risk living your life to its fullest. You risk the rush of climbing that mountain, of dancing all night, of scuba diving in reefs of mind-blowing color, of standing in the rain on an ocean viewpoint, watching huge waves crashing against the rocks, of meeting the partner of your dreams. You risk getting exercise and breathing fresh air. You risk making life worth living.

Perfect!

Kallas' book, by the way, is a nice read and available from Amazon. 

Whether you ever intend to forage or not, this book will at least let you know the names of some of the more common field-weed plants found everywhere in the U.S. and some are quite edible if harvested at the right time and in the righty way.  Wild spinach, chickweed, purslane, sorrel, field mutard, wintercress, dandelion, mallow, and shepherd's purse, are among the possibilities.
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