If you venture out of your nuclear-proof, earthquake-proof, asteroid-proof bunker into the real world, you might be at risk. Yes, it’s true! You may be hit by a bus or get E coli or staphylococcus poisoning from a church potluck. If you kiss someone, you may get herpes, mono, or worse—a tragic relationship. On the golf course, you may be hit by lightning. If you go ice skating, you may break your neck. If you go on a hike, you may trip on loose rocks, fall over a cliff, and die. Or you might be in the World Trade Center at the wrong time.
Look, you can either curl up under your bed covers and live a safe, dull, insulated life reading about other people doing things you wish you were doing. Or you can join the real world. If you venture into the real world, you risk living your life to its fullest. You risk the rush of climbing that mountain, of dancing all night, of scuba diving in reefs of mind-blowing color, of standing in the rain on an ocean viewpoint, watching huge waves crashing against the rocks, of meeting the partner of your dreams. You risk getting exercise and breathing fresh air. You risk making life worth living.
So if you decide to venture into the world of wild foods, you’d better prepare yourself for some fun, adventure, and risk. Yes, there are risks to eating new foods that you’ve never tried before. You might make some mistakes or have allergies to foods you haven’t been exposed to yet. Nature has its own agenda and is not looking out for the safety of humans—and that fact provides some unpredictability in all things wild. But if you are a reasonable student, if you don’t just jump haphazardly into eating everything in sight, and if you pay attention to what your body is telling you, your chances of any real danger are slim. For the vast majority of people, getting into wild foods will be nothing but fun. For that rare person who becomes that exception, we may end up talking about your unusual case in future books.
And while your experiences may be different from mine. I have never regretted eating wild foods, which I have done for over thirty-five years. I hope your experiences will be as good as mine. So be a good student, and you will minimize the chance that you will regret living your life to its fullest.
