Sympathy for the Cactus

Have you ever fought a cactus?

They’re easy things to hate, all prickly spines and weird green flesh. They’ll sting you hard, but only if you’re dumb enough to let it.

It’s not the cacti’s fault. The outside world is scary to is, and it values its flesh. So, spines. If you understand the cacti’s view of the world, you probably won’t get stung, and you’ll probably love it a little more. You’ll appreciate how hardy it is, how little water it consumes, you’ll even find it beautiful, in its harsh green light.

Problem is, eventually the cactus will want a hug. It will want a hug, but will immediately suspect that any person willing to hug is, is probably planning on eating it.  Hugs almost always lead to pain.

In an eat or be eaten world, it’s hard to be a cactus.

In a world where vulnerability is a valued trait, it’s even harder to be a cactus.