Is My Houseplant Judging Me? A Deep Dive into Plant-Based Side Eye



My Fiddle Leaf Fig’s Epic Side-Eye Moment

It happened again this morning. You know that feeling when you’re scrambling for coffee, hair’s a mess, and you catch your reflection in the mirror? Yeah, not my proudest moment. But as I fumbled with the coffee filter (don’t judge, I need caffeine!), I swear I saw it – a flicker of movement out of the corner of my eye. My fiddle leaf fig, Basil, seemed to shift ever so slightly, his leaves rustling in the morning light.

Okay, maybe it was just the breeze from the open window. Or maybe, just maybe, Basil was giving me that “Seriously? Again?” look.

Basil regularly (okay, sometimes I forget for a few extra days…), and I even bought him a fancy plant mister. But there was that one unfortunate incident last summer. You see, life got a little hectic. Work deadlines, social commitments, you know the drill. And poor Basil, well, let’s just say he started to resemble something out of a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

I’m talking drooping leaves, a distinct lack of new growth, the whole nine yards. As I frantically Googled “how to revive a dying houseplant,” I could’ve sworn I heard a heavy sigh coming from Basil’s direction. I swear he perked up a little too quickly once I started showering him with attention (and a healthy dose of plant food). Coincidence? I think not.

The Curious Case of the Mysterious Leaf Drop

Now, I consider myself a relatively tidy person (key word: relatively). But there are times when life gets in the way of my usual cleaning routine. Let’s just say my apartment has seen cleaner days. And Basil, well, he has a knack for knowing exactly when I’ve pushed my luck a little too far.

One time, after a particularly chaotic week (think takeout containers and unfolded laundry), I noticed a few leaves scattered around Basil’s pot. At first, I brushed it off as normal shedding. But then it happened again. And again. It was almost as if he was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, leading directly to the overflowing laundry basket and the stack of dishes threatening to topple over. Message received, Basil, message received.