09:44 p.m. | 2005-11-10 Jaded. A while back, EldestSister gave me a jade plant. In her odd, sleight-of-hand sort of way. Basically, she asked me if I could take on a couple of her plants, which I readily agreed to, and then threw that one in the mix. I was thrilled and intimidated at the same time. I mean, after she gave them to me. She suggested, originally, that they were small plants. Mere houseplants that were suffering from a lack of light. It was only when I helped her load them into my car that I discovered that I was adopting several very large plants that, well, were really big. After they were all loaded, ES then informed me that she hadn’t watered them for many weeks so they all needed deep watering. And washing. She suggested that I might want to spend the next day giving them a shower in my shower prior to placing them about my place. Obviously, we don’t talk a lot. Or communicate well. It took all my might just to lug them from the alley, up several flights of stairs and into my flat. In case you forgot, or well, didn’t know, I live in a very small space. Hence, I placed the plants in the only place that was available – on top of a bookcase. A large bookcase. Which immediately hindered my ability to adequately water them since that bookcase is taller than me. The plants are grand though. More importantly, they’re still alive. It’s been many months now. I’m most intimidated by the jade plant. It’s very impressive and quite big. Yet, you know how jade plants are… or maybe you don’t. I’ve never been able to keep one alive because they’re so very sensitive. Any time you move it or even water it, it sheds leaves like an old winter coat on a hot summer day. You look at it funny? It sighs and immediately sheds. So, once I placed the jade plant, I gave it a wide berth. After very carefully watering it, of course. A shower? I don’t think so. I’ve been very respectful and frankly, haven’t touched it. In response, it’s shed some leaves and sprouted new ones. Yet… yet… one stem (branch) has absolutely died and I want to pluck it off so bad, but I can’t. I can’t because, amazingly, at the very end of this dead stem, there’s a branch of new growth. The new growth is hanging by a mere thread now but it’s thriving. I’d pluck it off except that it reminds me of me. I’m at that stage now where the old stuff is merely a thread in my life and the new stuff is so very present. There’s so much growth NOW. I’m so ready to recognize that the past is in the past, and while it matters, it doesn’t direct my life anymore. It’s what is in my future that is important. What I’m going to do now. What I feel, realize and believe. It’s all new. And, exquisitely kind. To both myself and others. It’s a new day. your thoughts? seed flower