The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant




The Unexpected Life Lessons I Learned From a Houseplant


My Little Green Guru

Let’s be honest, I’m about as far from a “plant person” as you can get. My thumbs are more charcoal than green, and my idea of plant care used to be optimistically whispering, “Please don’t die,” while giving it a splash of water every other week (or was it month? Oops). But then, Freddy the Fiddle Leaf Fig came into my life. Now, Freddy wasn’t a gift, a spur-of-the-moment purchase, or even a rescue mission. Freddy was a dare. My overly confident, plant-loving friend scoffed at my self-proclaimed black thumb and declared, “Even YOU can’t kill a Fiddle Leaf Fig!” Challenge accepted.

Freddy tested my patience. He dropped leaves like they were going out of style. He wilted dramatically when I so much as looked at him wrong. He even developed a suspicious brown spot that had me convinced I was about to witness a plant homicide. But through it all, Freddy persevered.

And you know what? So did I. I researched the heck out of fiddle leaf fig care. I invested in a watering can with measurements (who knew such a thing existed?). I even started talking to Freddy (don’t judge, it seemed to help!). Slowly but surely, Freddy bounced back, the brown spot faded, and new leaves unfurled. It was then I realized that resilience isn’t about avoiding challenges; it’s about weathering the storm and coming out stronger on the other side. Just like Freddy.

Lesson 2: Patience, a Plant Parent’s Best Friend

Anyone who tells you plants don’t grow fast enough clearly hasn’t experienced the excruciating anticipation of waiting for a new leaf to unfurl. I swear, I spent weeks staring at Freddy, willing him to sprout. It was like watching paint dry, but with the added pressure of keeping a living organism alive.

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