丹尼斯·弗莱尔
爱是灵魂的歌唱
Love is the song of the soul
我们在重生中找到彼此
We find each other in rebirth
而广漠而深邃的自然
And the vast and deep nature
是我们最终的归宿和皈依
is our ultimate destination and conversation
作为一名常年研究植物的科学家，我一直在试图寻找植物和人类之间的共性。对我们人类来说，在人生中找到对的那个人，并非易事。也许，你能够搞懂科学，并抛开所有的浪漫。但其终极目的，依然是孕育并繁衍和我们相似的下一代。至少，这是进化最重要的目标。当然，我们在平时生活中却并不这样认为。我们专注于浪漫、爱情、欲望和伙伴关系营造的安全感。但从根本上说，所有这些都与相同的共同主题有关：成功的复制。
寻找最佳伴侣，繁衍生息绝不局限于动物。植物也是完全一样的。影响所有植物成功的最大因素，是它们制造下一代的能力。这就意味着，我们需要找到最好的另一半。此处并非是要你来温习植物生殖生学、基因流统计、物候学和果实扩散策略的知识。然而，观察植物和人类的相似性不仅是有趣，更能引人深思。若幸得成功和完美，男人和女人的基因就能相遇，从而诞生最好的下一代。植物和动物都会努力吸引伴侣：美丽的脸颊，精致的妆容和迷人的香水，以及各种为了吸引对方、成功孕育新生而做的投入和努力。
所以，细细想象，浪漫的植物造就无与伦比的美。它们以自己的方式，影响着我们的情感生活。而或许，植物繁殖的过程，也是寻找自己伴侣的过程中，它也是通灵性的。虽然，我不能用科学数据或文学视角，来评判其过程与结果，但我相信许多植物，譬如花卉，在绽放的过程中，也如同我们人类一样汲取来自爱和灵魂的力量……它们寻找的过程，或许，也是和人类一样，是爱情的渐渐发现……至于繁殖目的，性是基础和途径，但依然有一种闪光，如同诗歌的旋律，在它的灵魂深处逶迤宛转；如同不朽的歌唱，陪伴它生长、开放，直至凋零与湮灭。那是它或辉煌绚烂，或落寞孤独的一生。
在我的好朋友，中国女作家小荷的长篇小说《重生2019》中，我仿佛看到了美丽的荷花，盛开在夏日的荷塘。她出淤泥而不染，坚持着自己的梦想和追求。她一直相信真爱，相信这世界更多的美好和精彩……我们人类的情感，原来就是那些播撒的种子，每一次的生长，就是一次重生。爱是灵魂的歌唱。我们在重生中找到彼此。而广漠而深邃的自然，是我们最终的归宿和皈依。
Love is the song of the soul
——University of Oxford, UK Denis Filer
As a scientist who has studied plants all the year around, I have been trying to find out the similarities between plants and human beings. It’s very complicated for us to find the right partner in our life. Maybe you can understand science and eliminate all romance. The ultimate goal is to breed and produce new humans like us. At least, this is the most important goal of evolution. Of course, we don’t think so in our daily life. We focus on the security of romance, love, desire and partnership. But fundamentally, all this has to do with the same common theme: successfully replication.
The research for the best mate and reproduction is by no means limited to animals. Plants are exactly the same. The most important factor affecting the success of all the plant species is their productive capacity. That means we need to find the best partner. But you are not here to review plant productive biology, gene flow statistics, phenology and fruit diffusion strategies. However, observing the similarities between plants and humans is not only interesting, but also thought-provoking. When success and perfection, the genes of men and women mix to produce the best results for the next generation. Plants and animals try to affect their partners, lovely faces, exquisite make-up and charming perfume, and various investments and efforts to attract each other and succeed in copying.
So, in thinking and imagining, romantic plants create extraordinary beauty. They influence our romantic life in their own way. Perhaps, in the process of plant reproduction, that is, in the process of finding their own partners, it is also psychic. Although I can’t judge the process and result from scientific date and literary point of view, I believe that many plants, such as flowers, in the process of blooming, also come from the power of love and soul as we humans do. The process of their research, perhaps, is the same as that of human beings, the process of finding love…For reproductive purposes, sex is the basis and way, but there is still a kind of flash, in its soul, like the rhythm of poetry, in its soul, immortal singing, accompanying its growth, opening up, until withered and annihilated. It was either a brilliant and brilliant life, or a lonely and lonely life.
In my good friend, a Chinese female writer Xiao He’s novel Rebirth 2019, I seem to see beautiful lotus flowers in the summer pond. She strikes to her dream and pursuits. She has always believed in true love…our human emotions are like those sown seeds. Love is the song of the soul. We find each other in rebirth. And the vast and deep nature is our ultimate destination and conversation.