Ponderings of a Potted Plant

Is your growth stunted? Are you wilting? Are your leaves yellow? Do you have delayed flowering? If so, you could be experiencing transplant shock. It is something that happens to both plants and humans when they move from one place to another. It is normal. It's defined as Having the inability to adapt to a new environment Being prevented from gaining needed nutrients Feeling weak or fragile for weeks or even years on end Giving up and withering away It is a common experience when moving locations. Roots become so used to their little pot, that when the gardener decides to move them to a bigger one they have a hard time adapting to all the new dirt. Maybe it has more rocks or maybe it has less nutrients. The roots who once knew where each and every pebble, fungi, and ant nest lay must get used to a new pattern of life. When we move to a new country or town we have so much new dirt to get used to. There are new streets to get used to. There are strange faces that we aren't used ...

     Newbie : "I don't know how to play" Player: "Don't worry. It is a common game. You will catch on quick." Newbie : I have so many pieces.  What do they all mean? Player: "Your pieces add up to 400 points in your hand. You are only allowed to begin with 200 points." Newbie: "What is the value of each piece? What is the goal of the game? What pieces are advantageous to pick?" Player: "Just watch you will pick it up." This scenario is abnormal Most kind considerate game players tell new gamers the objective, rules, and beginning strategy of the game. Most kind considerate game players explain what rule was broken and why the rule breaker is being penalized. Most kind considerate game players don't just say: "Just watch you will pick it up." However In the big wide world of socialization... Newbie: When is it my turn to play my card?  Now seems like a good time. "Me too, I love that park. I took my cat ...

The most powerful ruler on earth He doesn't rule just one country He rules the whole world Even in places that are nearly impossible to get at He isn't 100% cruel But he isn't 100% kind either He saves dying people But murders children He wasn't voted into office He wasn't birthed into a long line of ancestors He simply was and has always been present The most powerful ruler on earth is Water     He is present in every corner of the earth Even in the desert Where sands create artificial ocean waves Rain will sprinkle their tops Even within us Water is present Without him  We would shrivel up  Like a dehydrated watermelon Water is a cruel ruler Without warning he will flow down riverbeds Flooding houses Carrying away women and children as hostages Yet at the same time These flashfloods are essential They raise the height of the underground water reserves  Water is a kind ruler He cares not whether murder or a child is in need He rains down on both Providing the r...

  You start with the mirror It is always a good place to start Before you run out the door, slip on your shoes, shut the gate behind you, and start the car, you always should look in the mirror. Is all your frizzy hair lying flat the way it should? Does your shirt match your skirt? Is your outfit appropriate for this type of outing? "Start with the mirror." It was the advice given to me You start with the mirror It is always a good place to start Before you wipe down the sink filled with toothpaste and scum, and the scrub the bathroom floor that is constantly trod on by feet that walked on all sorts of streets, you should first clean the mirror. First spray a few squirts of mirror cleaner, then wipe it in circular motions until your reflection becomes clear of smudges once again. A dirty cloth cannot do a thorough job.  "Start with the mirror." It was the instructions given to me You start with a mirror It is always a good place to start Before you run to your bedro...

One among a million Is it possible to be seen When there are so many others Displaying their petals of color Even the green plants They have no exquisite shape No special design of color No specially shaped petals Nothing that makes them stand out alone Yet look at them together Shine in the adorable face of an elephant One among a million Is there a point of trying to stand tall When so many others are doing it for me Look at the teddy bear What otherwise would be an empty forest A memory of childhood pops out of the trees It is not an empty shape Of black and white or pure green It has color for the feet Color for the ears Even the heart is red Inviting you to come snuggle into its memory One among a million So many around me Airplanes and teapots And even dancing ladies One among a million They could not have done this alone Through their natural scattering of seeds Hopeful to find some ground to multiply in One among a million Not noticed by the viewers Not missed if trampled under...

  “Don’t forget to drink water and get some sun. You’re basically a houseplant with more complicated emotions.” – Unknown                 What if plants were people                        And people were plants?                                             I live with a friend who loves plants, her house is full of them. We also live in a very hot climate.  My friend and I had gone on a vacation. We had separate plane tickets. She left first. I left second. My job was to hand over the housekeys to the person taking me to the airport. In the midst of an early morning goodbye, the keys were completely forgotten. Our plants were left to fend for themselves. Through this forgotten exchange of keys, her plants were faced with a traumatic experience. Although they had pl...