This was beautiful! This was full of knowledge and nurture. There's so much to learn from this book, with the symbolic relationship between nature and humanity being one of the main ones. One cannot exist without the other. The relationship is a balance. In this novel, Kimmerer talks about the science between plants and people, the loss of language, motherhood, being a teacher and a student. I loved all the legends from Native culture. I think today's society would truly benefit from reevaluating how Native people took AND gave back to the world. This book was so well crafted. Truly beautiful

“Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life. Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last. Take only what you need.
Take only that which is given.
Never take more than half. Leave some for others. Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.
Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken. Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.”