A couple of months ago, we decided to buy new pots for our house plants. The occasion was our wedding anniversary and it felt fitting to buy a lasting gift we could both enjoy. I’m the plant fanatic but my husband enjoys them also, so he was onboard. Happy wife, happy life, right?
I measured the plants and built a list of needed pots for transfers and upgrades in space. After pondering many options, we left with a cart loaded down with pots of various shapes and sizes and some soil.
At home, I began transferring the plants in the garage. As I did so, I tidied up the plants, trimming away dead material, sometimes reducing overgrowth. They looked beautiful in their new homes. I was satisfied with the progress until I came upon one plant.
I see this plant every morning. It lives near the sink and mirror in the bathroom. It is a corn plant, Dracaena fragrans, we bought at an antique store going out of business. It came in a wicker planter with not much soil. It sad forlornly tucked away in the corner and I recall feeling like I rescued it.
The plant continued to grow, but the size above ground clearly justified more soil for growth. Nevertheless, it survived, grew a bit, and flowered regularly. It produces a fragrant flower that drips nectar, a pleasant surprise the first time it bloomed.
I began working on this plant, wondering how it would handle moving. I’m certain it had been in the old pot at least 10 years. The roots were bound and running in circles into the wire. It required some effort to carefully extricate it from the plastic liner in the wicker basket. I did not know if it would be a welcome move or a challenging move. Plants typically don’t like being moved, so it’s always a risk.
I settled it into a much larger pot with fresh soil. Covered the top of the roots which have previously been exposed. Then gave it a drink of water.
Within a day, the plant had perked up and looked happier than ever before. It continues to grow like crazy with new space for roots and room to breathe. Now I fear it could reach the ceiling soon, which I would welcome. I might need to move it into the living room for more ceiling space and that would be ok.
As I look at the happy corn plant every morning, it is teaching me lessons:
1. Don’t cramp your roots – provide yourself the place to grow. a smaller space could be comfortable until it becomes constraining.
2. Provide yourself proper nutrition. If you want to grow, you need the food to do so. Nutrients are more than food, it is also sunshine, air, spiritual feeding, creative acts and movement.
3. Welcome change. In life, we can become comfortable with suboptimal conditions. Because they are our conditions we begin to feel we own them and they become part of our identity. Open yourself up to new opportunities and growth. Yes, in the process you may also change and outgrow friends, jobs, hobbies. Allow yourself to become a new version of you. The person you are meant to be.
My corn plant continues to grow. It is a luscious green color the leaves stand alertly to attention. It has not bloomed yet in the pot. It might be the wrong season. Or it could be so focused on putting down new roots it has no energy to bloom. Time will tell. For now, I’ll continue welcoming the daily lessons of growth and joy courtesy of my friend, the corn plant.
Das Wanderen Bumble Bee 