Stress Reduction Techniques-VOLUME 4-THE CARE AND FEEDING OF PLANTS

This is definitely the newest and the most surprising stress technique I have ever found.  Surprising, because, in my past life, I killed every plant I touched.  I did NOT have a green thumb, or the proverbial Midas Touch when it came to taking care of plants.  Every plant I touched basically turned to brown, not gold.  I over-watered, under-watered,  put plants in shady areas where they were supposed to be in full sun, didn't deadhead dead flowers regularly, etc.

Then, the pandemic hit.  

I found myself alone, at home, with nothing to do.  Yes, I worked out.  Yes, I meditated.  Yes, I watched QVC.   But, it was so cold and dreary outside, I began to daydream about Spring and Summer with all the beautiful flowers and trees in bloom and green grass everywhere.  I looked around my house, wondering if I could somehow bring some cheeriness into it, to tide me over until the warm, sunny weather came. 

Suddenly, my sorry-looking plants started to talk to me.  Yes, talk to me.  No, I'm not nuts.  Especially the new succulent I had received as a birthday gift from my co-workers.  Poor ladies, they had no idea I was a plant-killer.  Anyways, the succulent, which I believe was the newly proclaimed leader of the plant group started up the conversation.  Looking up at me with its sad succulent eyes, it begged..."Take care of us, will ya?  Water us, will ya?  But, remember, not too much!  Google the directions...you know how to Google, don't you?  You're on your phone enough!  You're home now, for crying out loud, look at us for a change!"

"OK...OK...I get it!"  (Did I actually say that out loud?)  

So, I started to feel the soil in each of my plants.  Boy, you really are dry, aren't you?  Woops.  I loved how the soil felt on my fingers.  I could actually feel the energy.  It was soothing, calming.  I googled how to take care of succulents, christmas cacti, gerber daisies, mums.  Interestingly enough, all my plants were gifts. I realized I have never bought a plant of my own, for my own enjoyment. I guess I just never had the self-confidence to know I could care for a plant. Metaphor for my life, perhaps? Something to ponder...


After I got my plants sufficiently watered, I studied the sunlight requirements of each of my plants. I made sure I gave each plant the proper sunlight they needed specific to their needs. During the day, as the sun moved across the sky, I would take note as to where the sunniest spot would be and literally pick up my plants and move them in the sun. Much to my delight, the plants responded well, growing exponentially. So much so, that before long my husband actually had to transplant my succulent into a bigger pot. I could audibly hear the "sigh" from the succulent as it had more room to stretch out its roots.

Now, every Mother's Day my husband would buy me a hanging plant...preferably petunias.  I loved petunias, but, for some reason I could never seem to keep it alive into the fall.  It would always go to seed very quickly, even though I would deadhead it and water it, and keep it in the sun.  Well, this year's petunia was no exception.  It started out as a gorgeous, vibrant, lush red-flowered one.  But, it started to go to seed quicker than even all the past ones.  What was I doing wrong?  This time, I went back to my friend, the trusty Google, and looked up the information on how to care for petunias.  Turns out, when thunderstorms hit that contain a lot of wind and/or rain, or if it becomes too hot, you have to shelter it.  Either bring it in the house or put it under something.   Oh.  I never knew that.  Woops, again.  Next, petunias love to be fed with a plant food, along with watering and deadheading.   Oh. I don't have plant food.   So...I commissioned my husband to buy me some Miracle Gro plant food, and I began to perform surgery on my petunia.  Every day I methodically cut out the dead stems and seeds.  I made sure once a week I would feed it, then I decided to feed my indoor plants too!  Why not?  

Well...wouldn't you know...all my plants are thriving.  My petunia is making a comeback.  My indoor plants are growing so fast.  In the fall, I'm going to have my husband transplant one of my christmas cacti into a bigger pot.  I'm even thinking of filling out a job application to a beautiful greenhouse/store that is about a half a mile from my house.  I could walk there!  Hey...need some help?  I'll water your plants!  You never know, right?

What is the moral of this story?

I have realized that there is a philosophical metaphor at play here.   The care and feeding of plants is not unlike the care and feeding of people.   Each plant, like each person, is unique.  Each responds to care and nurturing in their own way.  What works for one person, or species of plant, may not work for another.  Diligence, patience, trial and error, confidence.  These are the qualities a caretaker needs to help a withering plant thrive, a sick child regain health,  a suffering, battered person heal from old emotional wounds. 

You cannot imagine the sense of satisfaction, self-confidence and joy that hits me deep in my soul meticulously nurturing and grooming my plant "babies".  It has securely made me realize that I am, indeed, a nurturer, a healer, a caretaker, a teacher.  This is my core being.  This is who I was meant to be.  This is my role in life.  Be it plants, children in a day school, or helping others achieve wellness with my blog.  Seeing a new bud on a plant, a new green leaf spring forth, making a shy child belly-laugh, or listening to and helping my own family members.   The joy, peace, and fulfillment is boundless and limitless.

This is me.

Until next week...Be a butterfly!🦋