My Little Green Guru
Let’s be honest, I’m about as far from a “plant person” as you can get. Give me a succulent to kill, and I’ll find a way to murder even its memory. So, when my well-meaning friend gifted me a majestic peace lily for my birthday, I accepted it with the enthusiasm of someone handed a ticking time bomb. I named him Kevin, mostly because it felt ironic, and braced myself for the inevitable plant-demise guilt trip.
What I wasn’t prepared for was Kevin teaching me more about life, the universe, and everything (sorry, Douglas Adams) than all my years of formal education combined. Turns out, those leafy green guys have a lot of wisdom to offer, if you just know how to listen.
My first lesson from Kevin came in the form of dramatic drooping. I’m talking, “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up,” levels of melodrama. Naturally, I panicked. I watered him, I sang to him (don’t judge), I even Googled “emergency plant resuscitation” (it’s a real thing, apparently). Turns out, all Kevin needed was a break from my frantic fussing. A little less water, a little more sunshine, and he was back to his vibrant self.
It was a humbling realization. I, the self-proclaimed queen of overthinking, had projected my own anxieties onto a plant. Kevin, in his silent, stoic way, taught me the importance of chilling out. Sometimes, the best course of action is to simply breathe, step back, and let things be.
Lesson #2: Embracing the Awkward Stage of Growth
As Kevin thrived, he started sprouting new leaves. But here’s the thing about new growth – it ain’t always pretty. Those fresh leaves started as awkward, pale shoots, looking more like wilted lettuce than the vibrant green I’d come to expect. I was tempted to prune them, to “help” Kevin maintain his aesthetic appeal. But then I realized, growth, whether it’s a plant or a person, is rarely linear or graceful.
It’s messy, unpredictable, and often downright awkward. But those awkward phases are essential. They’re the messy middle, the stepping stones to something stronger and more beautiful. Just like I wouldn’t snip off a plant’s new growth, I learned to embrace the awkward phases in my own life, trusting that they were leading me to a more vibrant version of myself.