The article reflects on the bond of motherhood through the lens of nature, particularly using the metaphor of nurse plants to describe nurturing. The author recalls moments from their child's first year, highlighting the dependence and care involved in parenting. While hiking, they observe a mesquite tree nurturing nearby saguaros, illustrating the symbiotic relationship where the tree provides essential resources for the cactus's growth. As the saguaro matures, the nurse tree sacrifices its own resources, underscoring themes of sacrifice and support inherent in both motherhood and nature.
"The plants that you see around the saguaro are called nurse plants. Just like a nurse helps a patient in the hospital, a nurse plant provides shade, moisture and nice rich soil for the saguaro cactus to grow."
"I saw an old mesquite tree, its branches dry and twisted, hugging a couple of saguaros that didn't quite reach up to my waist. It was what's known as a nurse tree or plant."
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