There is an old tv commercial with the statement "plants come to my house to die"
Years later, I cannot remember what the commercial was for, but both my husband and I recite these words whenever a plant enters our house.
I know I know, you need to water them, give them a good homey spot, occasionally talk to them...
I wasn't always bad with plants...but somewhere along the years I became that way.
My mother-in-law had given me a Christmas cactus, and I kept that plant alive for years and years, practically abandoning it every winter as it sat in the dark next to my bedroom attic window with the thick pink Styrofoam insulation stuffed inside the window casing each December through March to keep out the cold. I've since done some research on that plant, it appears they enjoy a few months rest period in the dark...which is probably why it survived for so many years...but when we moved to our current location, it's now been 8 years, I've been fighting to keep that plant alive! I have a two inch stem left alive. Barely.
Now, let's backtrack a couple of years ago. My Mom past away, and she had a wonderful collection of plants. Nothing too big, and several of each kind...probably a total of about 10 plants. It took me a good 4 or 5 or 6 months to clear out her condo, and I was in no hurry to bring the plants to my house. When it came time to move out the plants I chose one of each and I "shamed" a couple of the ladies who lived next door to my Mom into taking a few of them.
Fast forward to now, all that remains of my Mom's Christmas cactus is a two inch twig also. Over the past year I have transplanted it with the remaining two inch twig from my mother-in-laws Christmas cactus, but I just can't seem to snap them out of their dying mode. The two remaining transplanted Christmas cactus are a pathetic representation of my plant skills and I have completely loss track of which one is which.
Plants come to my house to die.
Not sure if this is Moms or MILs, but either way I've got some nurturing to do.
so, my husbands idea, to buy an already thriving arrangement at the store and add my sad saplings to it...notice at "8 o'clock the dead remains and at 11 o'clock and 4 o'clock there is a glimmer of hope however not much. He wants me to give up, but I'm not ready to yet...
Below is a photo of the other plants I took from my Mom, the spider plant on the left has already produced many babies, the one in the window and some of which I have given away...and the Ivy growing around the window has proven itself hearty enough to live with me...
Now comes the reason for my sharing this in a blog post.
The "second chance" part.
There is an underlying reason I have struggled to keep these plants alive, both my Mom and my Mother-in-Law have moved onto the next great chapter, the eternal life one, and to have something living left behind by them is comforting to me. In addition, neither one of them were particularly gifted with a green thumb of their own, so I do feel a bit of pressure to live up to at least a mediocre plant mom...and there is one additional reason...my Mom's Christmas cactus was known to bloom every year on my sister Carmen's birthday. My sister died in 2009.
Plants come to my house to die.
Okay, okay, the second chance part.
Remember earlier, when I told you I shamed a couple of my Mom's neighbor friends into taking a few of her plants? Well, one of those neighbor friends was more than just a neighbor friend. Connie was the last person on this earth to make my Mom smile hours before she died. Connie was THE person who gave me the greatest gift ever of my Mom smiling just hours before she died. The story of Connie's visit is one I will cherish until the day I die myself and it is my special story, just mine, but it is the one reason I can look back on that day and smile myself. What I will share...if you ever receive word that someone is not doing well, and you want to go say goodbye, please just do it!! Don't wonder if they will know if you are there or not, don't wonder if you are inconveniencing anyone, don't second guess your desire to say goodbye, just do it. Connie was not my Mom's "best friend", in fact I didn't even know who Connie was...but she had sent a couple of "thinking of you" cards so I was able to reach out to her when I thought it was the right time...unfortunately I cut it way too close and I believe that Connie must have had to "dropped everything" to see my Mom and to say goodbye but the forever impact her visit made on my Mom and the mystery I solved to find out who put that wonderful smile on my Moms face is a moment I could have never predicted. And the gratitude I have for Connie is immeasurable!
Once my Mom's place was empty and sold I asked Connie if I could come sit and talk with her about her last visit with my Mom. She said yes, we met, we talked, I cried of course and we ended it with a hug and a promise to become Facebook friends :)
Second chances...oh yes!
In February, probably after combining my sad little saplings into the "purchased at the store" cactus pot and losing the "8 o'clock" one I messaged Connie and asked how the cactus I had "shamed" her into taking from my Mom was doing. I told her how I was struggling to keep my sample alive and how special it was to my Mom because it bloomed on my sisters birthday. I told Connie that if she no longer had it I would understand, but if she by chance still did..."could I get a little piece of it"???
Connie sent me this photo
And she let me know not only was it still alive, but it was thriving!! And yes, she would be happy to give me a call in the spring when she repotted it and give me one of my own!!!!
Plants come to my house to die.
Second chances.
As promised, Connie messaged me and I went to pick up my second chance last week. She gave me some tips on how to take care of it and told me to call her if I have any questions :) She also gave me back a couple of things that were my Moms, including the beautiful butterfly adorning the pot. Once again, Connie has given me something priceless that money can't buy.
Connie has given me a second chance.
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