Lessons my plants have taught me

A few weeks ago, I talked about how I and a growing number of people my age are becoming proud pet parents. Since then, I have bought one snake plant, one aloe plant and four air plants, bringing my plant total to 14, albeit small, but vibrant plants.

I am becoming a plant lady. And I have no shame about it. I have spent my few free moments reading up on the latest on the best plants for my place, which plants live in the best light, and exactly how much I should be watering. I like my new hobby of caring for these little green beings that clean the air, improve mental health, and add to my overall sense of wellbeing. All of this plant care has reinforced some serious life lessons within me. Here they are the latest I am embracing:

Be patient:
Plants grow and change at a slower pace than we living in this time are accustomed to. Caring for them forces us to slow down, which, despite my love of progress, I can firmly say that slowing down is beyond beneficial. It's downright therapeutic.

Be present:
Houseplants, like all living things, require care and attention. You cannot half care for a plant and expect it to survive, let alone thrive. If you are going to be a good plant caretaker, you have to be present with them. Just like you have to bond with people and a pet, you should bond with your plants. You have to take the time away from all that beeps, blinks, and has a bright screen and be present with your plants.

Pay attention:
Because plants change and develop so slowly, it forces us to pay attention to them. When we spot a trouble spot, a browning leaf, or a tiny web, we need to assess right away and make changes. Caring for anything we want to grow and thrive forces us to be aware of as many aspects surrounding it as possible. And why shouldn't that apply to our plants?

Respect nature:
Sometimes our best efforts are not enough. Leaves wither and fall off, the plant is sick and we don't know how to make it better, or a bug destroys it. This is the cycle of nature and sometimes, no human intervention can change it. While no plant lover would tell you to just give up on your green babies, keeping this in the back of your mind is a great way to not get discouraged should something go wrong. If it can happen in nature, odds are, it can happen to your plants. This is also true for resprouting and regrowing, so don't give up and hang in there!