les houseplants

I think I need all my relationships to be like my relationship with the spider plant my sister gave me before I moved here.

Or like the cactus she gave me before I moved to Utah.

Those plants always love me and are there for me as another  living thing in my life, but they are also pretty low maintenance. Plants can be forgiving; I've always loved and admired that quality. I need to learn from them.

I was always confused by people who claim to be incapable of caring for houseplants. My Granny is like that- she says she can't keep anything alive, and it's true. Plants always go into her house alive and beautiful, but come out crusty and dead. How does it happen? I have never battled with that. Maybe I have just been lucky? I'm not sure.

Every two years or so, the cactus wilts and has  a really dramatic phase where it turns into a spine covered jelly mess. It's so weird; I probably should ask a botanist about it. I always get into a fit of panic whenever it happens, because I'm terrified of the things I love dying. But somehow it always makes it out alive... better than alive. It thrives.

I think I need to learn something from cactusbaby. You know, like: we all have down times, but then we come out stronger. Or maybe something like: life is mysterious and amazing, but through all of that, life goes on.

Life goes on beautifully.