The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned from a Houseplant





Life Lessons from a Houseplant: Resilience, Tough Love, and More

Let’s be honest, I’m not exactly known for my green thumb. In fact, my history with plants is more of a cautionary tale. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a peace lily, I accepted it with a smile and a silent prayer. I named him Stanley (because even plants deserve cool names), and I was determined to keep this one alive.

Stanley. I watered him every other day, sang to him (don’t judge), and even invested in a fancy plant humidifier. But Stanley, bless his leafy heart, started to wilt. His leaves drooped, turned yellow, and I swear he looked at me with accusation in his…well, stems.

Desperate, I did what any self-respecting millennial would do: I Googled it. Turns out, I was overwatering the poor guy! Who knew plants needed to breathe? So, I cut back on the H2O, let the soil dry out a bit, and much to my surprise, Stanley bounced back. He taught me that sometimes, a little tough love is all you need to thrive, in plants and in life.

Lesson 2: Embracing the Unexpected Comeback Story

Just when I thought I had this whole plant parenting thing down, disaster struck. I went out of town for a long weekend, forgetting to ask a friend to water Stanley (oops!). I came back to a scene of utter devastation. Stanley was brown, crispy, and I’m pretty sure I heard a faint, “Et tu, Brute?” escape his nonexistent lips.

Dejected, I was ready to toss him in the compost bin. But then, I saw it: a tiny, green shoot emerging from the soil. Against all odds, Stanley was making a comeback! I quickly gave him some water (okay, maybe I cried a little and apologized profusely), and watched in awe as he slowly but surely regained his former glory.