Flower intelligence

Author's name: Maurice Maeterlinck

We could say that flowers think the same way we do. They feel their way in the same darkness, face the same obstacles as us, are frustrated by the same ill intentions of others, and stumble in the same corners of the unknown. The laws that apply to flowers apply to humans, they taste the same bitterness of disappointments, and feel the sweetness of victories drenched in the same suffering and pain. Flowers seem to possess our capacity for patience, perseverance, self-love, and a keen intelligence capable of diversity. They also seem to be driven by our hopes and inspired by our ideals.

If we were to bow our heads in humility before her work, we would discover countless signs of intelligence, activity, and cunning displayed by flowers—not just seeds and buds, but stems, leaves, and roots as well. We need only contemplate the tireless efforts made by broken branches in search of sunlight, or the courageous and intelligent struggle waged by trees threatened with extinction. As for me, I will never forget the example of heroism and steadfastness set by a majestic bay tree, nearly a hundred years old, which I saw while visiting Provence in the south of France, while wandering among the wild and joyful valleys of the Loup region. On its twisted trunk, laden with pain and suffering, if I may so say, you can easily read the drama of its difficult and harsh life.