In Poland, when nothing extraordinary is happening but you really wish it were, you’d sarcastically say that the situation is exciting like mushroom picking. Because, well, mushroom picking is the very opposite of drama. It’s quiet, it’s patient, it’s methodical. You don't go to the forest to have emotions; you go to find mushrooms.

So there I was. Instead of digesting my editor’s feedback, I was quoting Polish sayings to myself. Hardly a productive approach, until I had a eureka moment!

In Poland anyone can enter a state-owned forest and take home as many wild mushrooms as they can carry, edible or not (though we aim for the edible ones). Only a few protected species are off-limits, along with mushrooms in national parks.

And then it struck me: mushroom picking is, in fact, full of emotions! Not the loud, exciting, performative emotions our world seems to crave, but the real, grounding ones. The thrill of the hunt. The quiet satisfaction of finding your first borowik (boletus or porcino). The meditative calm of walking among trees. And of course the frustration of an empty basket when the picking doesn't go as expected. I’ve felt all of these, many times.

I now understand that mushroom picking is more than a pastime. Mushroom picking - being in harmony with nature, even if it’s just for a few autumn hours - is a perfect, small-scale act of sustainability. It’s open to everyone, transcending politics, age, and personal beliefs. It appeals even to those who are skeptical of sustainability. Why? Because it’s not theoretical. It’s physical, personal, tangible, a personal experience that feels primal and calming.

It teaches us gratitude for what the forest gives us freely. It demands mindfulness: you must be focused and present to find the hidden treasures. And it builds connection to our grandparents who taught us how to recognize the edible and exceptionally tasty species. Were these the emotions my editor was looking for?

I think the answer might be ‘yes’.

From struggling to understand the feedback I was given, I found myself suddenly writing about something I’ve known all along: the system of nature, of sustainability, of living in balance, it isn’t just for an exclusive club. Sustainability isn’t a vague concept or political agenda. Sustainable acts are truly accessible to all. Just like the Polish forest.