There’s a quiet tragedy unfolding in plain sight.

It’s not in our genes,

but in the environment that shapes them.

The human brain

that exquisite organ of anticipation

Once developed in perfect synchrony with a world it could trust.

For hundreds of thousands of years,

the late stages of gestation and early childhood

unfolded in a stable, rhythmic, and predictable environment.

Theexperience-expectant brain

The emergence of our brains,

like delicate gardens,

needs the touch of the world through

touch, movement, and caring relationships

to blossom fully.

It highlights the dance of connections

From within our neural networks,

guided by signals

from within and without,

illustrating that our growth

is a gentle dialogue

between ourselves and our environment.

The brain doesn’t just develop in isolation;

Itpatiently awaits the world’s embrace,

shaping who we become.

The part of our biology that waits

for universal experiences to complete its wiring

is always met with exactly what evolution promised

an emotional, lyrical response.

Until now.

What the Brain Expected

For most of evolutionary history,

every infant entered a world

rich with the constants of life:

The nutrition embraced simplicity and life itself

whole foods, breast milk,

and the vibrant microbial tapestry

of soil and skin,

nourishing more than the body,

nourishing the soul.

Movement was an inevitable rhythm

carried, rocked, crawled, walked, danced

each step a testament to life’s unceasing flow.

Gratitude was woven into the very fabric of survival

the joy of harvest,

the safety found in sharing,

the humble reliance on others,

a quiet acknowledgement of interconnectedness.

Love was an ambient presence

pervasive as the village,

the clan,

the intricate web of caregivers

that held us,

sustained us,

everywhere and…