I’ve never been what you’d call “in touch with nature.” I’m more of a “pavement and skyscrapers” kind of guy. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a houseplant for my birthday, I accepted it with the same enthusiasm I’d reserve for a tax audit. I mean, what was I supposed to do with this…thing?
Little did I know, this little green roommate, whom I affectionately named Ferdinand, was about to teach me more about life than I ever learned in a boardroom.
For weeks, I watered him, rotated him (like the internet instructed!), even sang to him (don’t judge!), but the dude just sat there. Finally, on the verge of giving up and relegating him to the compost bin of forgotten dreams, I saw it: a tiny new leaf unfurling. It was a slow and subtle change, but it was progress. Ferdinand taught me that sometimes the most rewarding things in life take time and a whole lot of Googling.
Lesson #2: Learning When to Hold On and When to Let Go (Your Plant Will Thank You)
As Ferdinand grew (slowly, of course), I became oddly attached to him. I was constantly fussing over him, watering him every other day, convinced that more was more. But then, disaster struck! The leaves started to yellow and droop. Panicked, I did what any self-respecting millennial would do: I consulted the internet.
Turns out, I was loving Ferdinand to death (figuratively, of course…I wasn’t that bad). He needed me to back off, let his soil dry out a bit, give him some space. It was a hard lesson, but I learned that sometimes, love means letting go… or at least letting the soil dry out a bit. Who knew?