On a hot summer’s day amongst graphic sandstone rimrock, I rested in the cool shade of a mature juniper tree. I had been admiring an almost imperceptible ancient scar where a branch had been broken off and a healthy one had grown back in its place. I then took notice of another branch that was much lower and on the far side of the tree which had grown out, ran into a boulder, and then changed its direction and continued growing. Beginning to ponder the nature of the life of plants, I of course concluded that they have no sense of sight. Otherwise, the tree wouldn’t have stretched one of it’s branches out straight into a rock. Despite and from this, I began to meditate on the fact that all plants are alive just the same as all us animals and my mind went meta. How is there no life on Mars? If it was ever there, couldn’t some form it have adapted to the extremely changing environment that planet has experienced in it’s life? Perhaps Olympus Mons was unfathomably destructive or Earth really is divinely special and chosen with the life it harbors. And aren’t plants really the evolutionary pinnacle of life? Surely they outnumber every living animal on this planet! Taking this juniper over me for example and the nature of the life of plants, it lives more in harmony with the earth than I do. More in harmony with the whole universe! It has taken root into the earth and drawing nutrients, emerged from it. It drinks of the water cycle, catching it when it falls from the sky and scouring it from the stones as gravity pulls it deeper. It stretches its leaf bearing branches towards the sky to feed of the Sun. But what of it’s consciousness? Does the tree perceive the passing of time? Does the tree experience emotions? Does the tree care that I’ve given it so much attention and take pleasure in its form? It doesn’t matter, the tree is lord over me. Even the grass at it’s skirt. It will always be. Because it will outlive me and it’s children will surely outlive us all.

A very beautiful and insightful reflection.

One thing that may be of interest for you too look up is the "Goldie Locks Zone." It's a theory about the necessary requirements for life of all types to thrive on any given planet.

Genetic adaptation takes a long time on major scale, and sometimes economic changes can occur faster than the genetic adaptations of a given organism.

Some may speculate that fungi are the pinnacle (like Terence Mckenna), but I don't think this detracts from the poetic point you've made.

Statistically, there's an argument for a great deal of life on a great many planets, just too far away for us to solidly verify. There are more stars in the Milky Way Galaxy than there are grains of sand on Earth... That's just one galaxy. And we don't know how many galaxies there may be in the vast expanse of space.

Thank you sharing.