Today I visited Hacienda Sotuta de Peón. It made me reflect on the blessings of the Mayan land—how soil so poor in minerals can give life to a plant like henequen, which during the henequen boom supplied 80% of the global demand for industrial textile fiber.

I remember the sense of peace I felt walking through its vast gardens, sitting on the stone steps to watch the wind dance through the treetops, the pleasant conversations shared over lunch, and the marks of time etched into those magnificent arches.

Being there, one can truly feel the gifts brought by the Green Gold. It saddens me to think that such splendor would slowly fade with the invention of synthetic thread.