Wisdom of Orchids(Part 2)


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Many orchids attract pollinators by luring insects with nectar and glue pollen.
When pollen reaches the female parts of the orchids, the plant can make new seeds.
But some orchids use their wits to develop unique, interesting and special relationships with
others for pollination. You might be amazed by the hidden wisdom that these flowering plants
exhibit in their relationship with others for pollination.

Point 1-

Orchids vs. Pollinators
Some orchid flowers look like female insects to attract bees or wasps to pollinate.
Male bees or wasps are lured by the female smell produced by orchids and try to mate with the
flower. During the act, the pollen sticks on the pollinator, which then goes off to another flower. In this
way, pollination is achieved.

Some people may think that orchids are very tricky and mischievous. My feeling is that orchids
are full of passion and enthusiasm for life. Their sole purpose is to cross-pollinate. Being tiny
and fragile, orchids use their intelligence to find unconventional ways to make sure that the
species survives. We can’t help but admire the effort they put into living on this planet.

If tiny and fragile-looking orchids can achieve their purpose with their passion, what more to
say about us, the wisest of all creatures? We too can make anything happen as long as we have a
passion for it.

Point 2

Orchids vs. Humans
Over the centuries, orchids have captivated human beings with their fragrances,
beauty and marvelous evolution. Confucius called the orchid the “King of Fragrant Plants.” Darwin wrote two
books on orchids. (Fertilisation of Orchids and The Various Contrivances by Which Orchids Are Feritlised by Insects.)
The general public is attracted by the orchid because of its beauty. They simply love these adorable flowers.

People may not be aware of the wisdom of orchids in the area of their morphology and
pollination. They are simply attracted by the orchids’ beauty and likability. Letting others love us
is not hard; we just need to present to others our sincerity and pleasantness. Apparently, orchids
are typical examples of likability in the plant kingdom.

I’m reminded of an answer a movie director gave a reporter when asked why he picked
Tom Hanks for his movies. His reply: likability. Tom Hanks is well-known and liked in the
entertainment industry. Likability plays an important role in attracting others in a relationship.

Yes, letting others love us is simple; we just need to make ourselves pleasant and likable.


Point 3-

Orchids vs. Orchids (sharing & coexisting)
Researchers have found that many different types of orchids can live next to one another because
they deposit their pollen on different parts of the same bee. One can stick it to the bee’s stomach,
while another can stick it to its legs. Orchids effectively share bees, and they can live and coexist
happily in one place. They manage to minimize pollination problems due to the decreasing
number of pollinators.

Orchids vs. Fungi (helping & coexisting)
Some orchids have fungi living on their roots to help break down the soil, so orchids are able to
access nutrients. In return, orchids provide a stable living environment for fungi to multiply.
Scientists have found that different orchid species in the same location also adapt to use different
fungal partners, so different orchid species can live side by side without competition.

Sharing and working together as a team among their own families, orchids cleverly avoid
competition. Helping other plant species, orchids create an unbelievable win-win situation.
While I was writing, I wondered: If human beings could learn how to live harmoniously and
support each other the same way orchids do, we would be able to have harmonious lives.

Many people believe that in order to move up, someone must come down. In order to get a promotion,
someone must get a demotion, or be fired. In order to make more money, someone must make
less money. We are all constantly competing against each other. To live harmoniously, we must
learn how to accept, how to share, how to be present and how to coexist and support one another.
There is enough for everyone. Let us learn from the orchids, and maybe their reality will become
ours, someday.

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