Free Lunch

I always learned that “There is no such thing as a free lunch” – But could Nature be the exception to this rule?

Text and drawing by Frits Ahlefeldt

It is a classic saying: “there is no such thing as free lunch” – There is always a catch, always a bill to be paid. In business, in politics, on dates, in life… I wondered about it for a long time. Then hiking one cold winter afternoon…

I walked in strong wind and freezing rain, hurried across some open fields, trying to reach some trees to shelter me, and finally I found a place out of the wind.

The sun came out and warmed me, I looked around and realized the wind had pushed the last apples of an tiny wild apple tree by the trail. I picked one up and brushed the soil of it. It was cold and fresh and tasted like a thousand golden rays of sun blazing a trail all the way to spring in a second.

I thanked for the apple, and grateful put a few more in my backpack and walked on, enough for lunch, then I suddenly realized, looking back,
It seems nature gives without expectations – giving back is entirely up to us… maybe there is an exception to the “no free lunch rule” Maybe nature is the exception