We Spread

by Iain Reid

She talked about an experiment with two plants growing together and how it was possible for the cells of the individual plants to end up gathering meaningful amounts of DNA from the other. It was fascinating. I listened, transfixed. She went on to explain how horizontal transfers of genes were not abnormal in bacteria, fungi, and even plants. It happens when one organism moves genetic material to another that isn’t its own offspring. A plant pursues life at all costs.

But what would the work mean if it was endless? What would a relationship mean if it kept going forever? What would a day be if it didn’t end?

“What if time was all you had?” I say. “Maybe if we had all the time in the world, life would start to feel meaningless. Or worse.”