You Are What You Plant

This video is from one of my favorite episodes of Bob's Burgers. After receiving a box of abandoned toys from his youth, he realizes that this childhood not only had makeshift toys, but was also pretty bad. And what's worse, Linda explains that she already knew because it's obvious. "People who had good childhoods don't stand like that" she explains just before rolling over and going to sleep. This was an AHA moment for Bob that will change the course of Bob's actions later in the episode.

"So what does this have to do with me and my plants?"

Since settling into my new home, I have acquired several plants. Should I be concerned about seventeen plants in just six months? I can't help but wonder if I've stumbled into some kind of plant addiction. But, hey, I like to think of them as my leafy therapy buddies, so who's counting, right?

At an early age, I realized I had a less-than-ideal childhood. Then, even with years of therapy, I carried suitcase-sized emotional baggage into my relationships and the birth of my children. Neglect, apathy, and depression were just a few of the compartments in my suitcase. Life would show me how being a victim would make it easy to become a perpetrator of emotional neglect.

Taking care of my plants has become a practice in patience and empathy. It's a daily reminder that living things need care, attention, and understanding to grow and flourish. As I water, prune, and talk to my leafy companions, I'm building a nurturing skill set that I didn't develop during my childhood.

In my little green oasis, I'm learning to provide the care and love that I longed for as a child. It's like I'm rewriting the script of my own upbringing, one plant at a time. And, you know what? It's working. The more I care for my plants, the more I find myself extending that same care and compassion to myself and those around me.

So, yes, my plant obsession might seem a bit excessive, but it's also been a powerful tool for healing. Who knew that my love for plants could teach me so much about nurturing, patience, and self-compassion? It just goes to show that sometimes, the most unexpected things can become our greatest teachers on the journey of self-discovery.

Now, here's where the magic of plant parenting comes into play. Caring for my green babies has become more than just a hobby; it's become a source of healing. When I look after my plants every day, it's like I'm learning how to nurture in a way I never learned as a child. I would learn that plants have this incredible ability to thrive with the right care and attention. They don't hold grudges or harbor resentment. Instead, they respond to love, consistency, and patience.