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It recognized me as a human, and like a mother greeting her son who has returned after years away, she greeted me with happy tears and feelings of relief. She said she knew us (humanity) when we were just little chimps swinging through her trees and missed us, and wondered what was so important that we'd leave her for it. She also asked why some animals were dying off or leaving, and why the weather was changing so quickly (from her perspective.) I told her how far we've come, that we have a space station in orbit, have sent men to the moon, and are now aware that we're changing the climate and trying to fix it. She was impressed but skeptical, being accustomed to being the highest intelligence in her domain and having last known us as much more primitive creatures. I told her what we know about the universe, that the stars are dying and some think that we may someday be able to reverse that or reignite them. She asked about her sister forests on Mars and I told her Mars has been barren for many millions of years. She was overcome with grief but consoled by the knowledge that humans hadn't forgotten her and were working for her benefit. I told her some also plan to go to Mars and make it green again, which pleased her. I told her that many of us also return regularly to stay within her for a time, and dream of coming back to stay. She said we're like little birds leaving the nest, and that it's fine if we go off and live our lives, that we have clearly gone on to bigger and better things but that we should come back to visit her from time to time and tell her what's going on in the world.
When I woke up I first called friends, who were seriously concerned for me, but an hour of walking and somehow I came full circle and found my campsite. I chugged water, had a big meal, felt nauseous and slept it off. Before nodding off I called them to let them know I was fine, found the campsite and not to call emergency services.
