#15 - Learning from nature.
I've often found that nature can be a metaphor for personal growth and healing.
There’s a certain level of fondness I’ve developed towards my indoor plants - perhaps given that this is my source of nature within these four walls, and given that I can’t find it in the way I need to in Dubai.
About two and a half years ago, my Mum was the one who bought me an Areca Palm and a Money Plant to get me started. I remember rolling my eyes and warning her that they wouldn’t survive because I didn’t believe I had a green thumb.
I honestly don’t think she or I could have predicted how those two plants would have been the start to my indoor jungle.
Whenever I travel outside of Dubai, I usually ask someone to come home and water my indoor plants. These last Christmas holidays were the first time I didn’t have someone do this, and having become the plant mum I am, there was a spark of anxiety for me at leaving my green babies behind.
I can’t help it - I’ve returned home to see plants that have died during my travels, which has been heartbreaking.
On the other hand, there have been times when I’ve come back home and seen my plants continue to thrive.
It’s given me such joy to witness so much life inside my apartment.
And earlier this week, something miraculous happened.
About two years ago, I bought a beautiful indoor plant: a tall green stemmed plant with deep purple flowers.
There are called Calla Lilies.
In the 6-8 months that followed, my Calla Lilies grew. They thrived, got root-bound, and were then further potted up into a larger space.
Where they continued to flourish.
Until… They were over-watered during my time away last year in Malawi.
Once I came back, much to my chagrin, I saw the stems and flowers droop bit by bit… And fade away.
Eventually leading me to believe that my beautiful plant had died.
(Word of advice for those who have indoor plants: over-watering is the enemy.)
I don’t know what prompted me in the months that followed to shift the bulbs into a smaller pot and keep watering it. There were no signs of roots, stems or life in the 6-8 months that followed. Nonetheless, I felt like I had to try, having seen other plants of mine revive after a period of time.
When I came back from my trip a couple days ago, I went through my routine examination of my plants:
Which ones needed immediate attention and watering?
Which ones were doing okay?
I gently nudged the pots aside, watering the plants that needed watering, and making a mental note to bring down my Christmas Tree.
So you can imagine, after 8 months of no life, the utter amazement and delight to spot a stem for my Calla Lily that had been nestled under the Christmas Tree.
One. Single. Stem.
Trust me when I say that there’d been no sign of life. All I did was keep it in a corner and water it every now and again. And I hoped.
I allowed myself to have the tiniest bit of hope that eventually, someday, my Calla Lily would rebloom.
And that day came!
I don’t know enough about indoor plants to know if this was a period of dormancy, or if this was just genuinely a plant that was able to come back to life.
I want to believe in the latter.
I’m choosing to believe that with time, rest and nurturing, if nature can rebloom, so can you.
Every time I see a new shoot or stem in my indoor plants after I believe it’s died, it serves me as a reminder to not give up yet. To never give up.
And how the power of nurturing and patience can go such a long way.
Often times when we’re sitting in periods of grief and turmoil, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Especially if there’s been a long period of pain and suffering.
It can become challenging to pour love into yourself.
Maybe you’re in a space with a voice telling you, “What’s the point?”
Maybe you’re feeling finished trying so hard to heal.
Perhaps the pain of what you’re dealing with doesn’t feel like it’s ending. Any loss is a loss, for those of you who need to hear it.
My dear reader, if you’re reading this from a space of despair, give yourself time. And if its a challenge to pour love into yourself, do the bare minimum.
Eat, hydrate, move, and sleep.
Take the time to rest, heal, and nurture yourself.
You will rebloom.
Trust me.
You will.
With lots of love, sunshine and hope,
Athira