Turns out, even “easy” plants have their demands. This little green roommate of mine, which I affectionately named Herbert, wasn’t exactly thriving under my care. I’d hover over him like a worried parent, watering him every other day, convinced that more was always better. But Herbert, bless his leafy heart, remained stubbornly…well, stubby.

One day, while lamenting my plant-parenting woes to my actual plant-whisperer of a friend, she laughed. “You’re overwatering him! Chill out, let the soil dry out a bit. Patience, my friend, patience.”

And you know what? She was right. I learned (the hard way) that sometimes the best thing you can do is back off, give things time, and trust the process. Who knew a houseplant could teach me the art of patience?

Lesson #2: Finding the Right Support (and Sunlight) for Growth

Herbert, despite my best efforts, remained alarmingly pale. I was starting to think he needed a therapist. Then came another plant-related epiphany courtesy of my green-thumbed guru: “He’s not getting enough light! You need to move him closer to the window.”

Turns out, sticking Herbert in a dimly lit corner wasn’t doing him any favors. Who knew? (Okay, probably everyone but me.) As I reluctantly moved him to a sun-drenched spot by the window, it dawned on me: Just like plants need the right kind of light to thrive, we humans need the right kind of support and environment to flourish.