Caution!

"Look Alike"  Copyright 2011, Caris Cerdwyn, All rights reserved

Way back when I lived in Oregon, I was introduced to a wonderful plant called "Lamb's Quarters."  I remember asking the woman who told me she had a big pot of Lamb's Quarters on the stove, "What in the world are they?"  She took me back to her kitchen and handed me a bowl with some greens.  I looked at them, a little nervous.  And she said:  "They are the best greens on God's good earth."  I tasted them and concurred!  I still remember that wonderful first mouthful, so tender and perfectly seasoned.  They were so wonderful I found a field guide and looked for photos of the plant.  My friend eventually showed me the plant as well, and told me that they are best early in the season.  They are called that because the leaves look like lamb's ears and there are four leaves on the plant.

When I first moved to New York State, I was walking the woods one day.  I still remember the place.  There they were!  Lamb's Quarters.  A taste of "home."  So I gathered a bunch up, and thought I'd received some manna from heaven, went off home and steamed those lovely green leaves right up.  I'd made a meatloaf and mashed potatos for dinner, a little celebration because I'd found the lambs quarters.  My mouth was watering and the anticipation had grown to an unbearable point, when I finally sat down at a beautiful table, complete with a candle, music in the background.  I brought that first forkful of greens to my mouth.  Oh....I just about choked, the acidic plant searing my taste buds..  I spit those wretched things right out of my mouth and into a nearby garbage pail, running for the sink to rinse out my mouth. 

I went right online to look up Lamb's Quarters, and sure enough discovered that they have a poisonous look alike.  These are the plants, though I would never have mistaken them this late in the season.  They look vastly different from the coveted greens at this point.  That was my last foray into the woods for some wild greens!  The super market is just fine, thank you very much.

Over the years I've been learning that there are many people in the world who speak such lovely words.  You feel at home in conversation with them, open up your heart, think that you've made a wonderful new friend.  And then the poison starts.  It is unclear to me why people are malicious.  I've never understood it.  There are times when I can throw acid into my tone with the best of them, but I cannot remember ever deliberately trying to hurt someone else.  Those times when I do strike out, have been times when someone has gone to great lengths to do harm to me.  My nature is to want friendship, to be kind, to share what I have, which isn't a lot, but it is enough.  And I do my best to surround myself with people whose hearts are kind, people who inspire me to be my best self.  I can tell you that those friends are keepers.  They're the real thing. 

The other night I shared something very personal with one of those keepers.  It was something that was hard to talk about, but she heard me, and I knew she listened to me with an open heart.  She will be protective of that conversation.  And there is something powerful about the truth.  It sets us free.  And when it is received by one with a good heart, it washes away some of the poison. 

So here's to loyal, true friends...I'd better not try and list them here.  Too many to remember in one sitting...maybe they aren't so rare after all!