Hearts of Blue

It's always startling to come across the color blue in wooded areas. I found these berries on the ground in the thick of autumn, the woods shimmering with the golden hues of October in New England. These little ones called out from the leaf-covered ground..."Hey! Look at me!" Who wouldn't want to stop and pay attention to these little bits of blue charm studded among the leaves?

Turns out, these are the fruit of Ampelopsis cordata Michx., or Peppervine - a member of the grape family. In this specific case, heartleaf peppervine. A little bit of online research served up a beautiful article about this plant, written by Kiersten Rankel. In it, she talks about the relationship between Peppervine and Native American traditions:

Peppervine's tenacity is a living lesson in endurance. It clings and climbs, symbolizing the power of unity and collective strength. In various cultural narratives, especially within Native American traditions, it stands as a testament to togetherness. This plant isn't just growing; it's telling stories of resilience woven into the fabric of human history.

It's so interesting to me that I observed these berries with such interest, small as they were on the cluttered ground, and making themselves known through their exceptional blue color among the earth tones of fall. And there they were with their message of "collective strength" and "resilience," a message so relevant at this time to me personally and also to all people, collectively. It is undeniable that we are living in a time of unrest. War. Political divide. Even among our neighbors, there is anger and unrest as our nation grapples with the extreme polarization of the national election.

And the Peppervine continues its climb, leaving small blue berries on the ground to remind us of resilience, strength, and community. We will need these qualities to continue forward in unity, in the belief of our shared humanity and fundamental protection of LIFE, in all its forms.