Why Mushrooms?

I remember very vividly finding my first mushroom. I really didn’t know much about mushrooms when I found it. I knew they existed and that they were probably out in the woods somewhere… but I did not know exactly what mushrooms could look like, how big or small they could be, or when, why, and how they grew. The moment I found that mushroom, my entire understanding of the forests around me changed. I went from hardly acknowledging the presence of mushrooms, to wanting to go out and search for mushrooms every chance I got. That single mushroom started my journey of wanting to understand the forests that surround me to the best of my ability. I still know so little about the forests and fungi that surround me, but I know so much more than when I first started. Knowing there is something in the woods that I haven’t seen before or didn’t know existed is a large reason why I still remain so intrigued by the forests that surround me.