My Green Roommate: From Hell to Life Guru

Let’s be honest, I’m about as far from a “plant person” as you can get. My thumbs are anything but green. I’m more likely to accidentally overwater a cactus than keep a delicate orchid alive. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a houseplant— a supposedly “easy to care for” ZZ plant— I accepted with a smile and a silent prayer for its imminent demise.

Oh, how wrong I was.

This plant, which I affectionately named “Zeke,” not only survived my neglect but thrived. Zeke grew taller, bushier, and more vibrant, all while I, his self-proclaimed caretaker, stumbled through life, making the same mistakes over and over again. It was humbling, to say the least. Then, it hit me: maybe Zeke was trying to tell me something. Maybe, just maybe, this resilient little plant held the secrets to a happier, healthier life.

Lesson #1: Embracing the Unknown (and Ditching Overthinking)

I’m a chronic over-thinker. I analyze, I dissect, I worry myself sick over every little detail. Zeke, on the other hand, just… is. He doesn’t stress about the weather, he doesn’t compare himself to the fiddle leaf fig down the street, he just soaks up the sun and grows.

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