Posted in Personal Essay

The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant

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The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant


My Thumb Went from Brown to…Less Brown

Let’s be honest, I’m not exactly known for my green thumb. In fact, my history with plants is more of a graveyard of good intentions. Overwatered ferns, sunburnt succulents, you name it, I’ve probably accidentally offed it. So, when my friend gifted me a “super easy, practically unkillable” houseplant, I accepted with a healthy dose of skepticism. Little did I know, this leafy green roommate would soon become my unlikely life coach.

plant didn’t budge. No new leaves, no visible growth, just stoic stillness. I’d hover over it, watering can in hand, tempted to drown the poor thing in a desperate attempt to speed things up. But then, a tiny green nubbin appeared. A new leaf, slowly unfurling, inch by painstaking inch. That’s when it hit me: real growth takes time. We can’t rush the process, we just need to be patient and trust that things are happening, even if we can’t always see them.

Resilience: A Houseplant‘s Superpower

Remember how I said I wasn’t exactly a natural plant parent? Well, there were a few…incidents. I accidentally scorched a leaf with direct sunlight (oops!), and another time, I may have forgotten to water for a tad too long (don’t judge!). I was ready to admit defeat, convinced I was destined for a life devoid of greenery. But you know what? That little plant, despite my best efforts to the contrary, bounced back. It lost a leaf or two, sure, but it adapted, adjusted, and kept on growing. Talk about a metaphor for life! Setbacks happen, mistakes are made, but it’s our ability to learn, adapt, and keep going that truly matters.

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