Diary of a Plant #SOL22

Dear Diary,

It is hard to believe that I am fifteen years old. That's pretty old for a plant, especially in the conditions where I live. Kids poking with me pencils, putting staples in my dirt, pulling on my leaves, and asking, "Is this plant real?" 

Of course I am real!

I have been with her since the beginning - her first year as a teacher. I have sat on three different desks but always in the same left-hand corner. The familiarity of the space is comforting and safe. I have grown and grown over the years. So much that regular trims have been a part of my existence. Too much growth and I start to droop over the sides. 

Gravity and old age tend to do that, you know.

One spring in my second home, she left me for a week and forgot to water me. My leaves started to turn brown, and I was all dried up. I really didn't think I was going to make it.

But she always comes back. I guess this is what humans call loyalty. I like loyalty. 

Two years ago she took me home. I heard something about her not being able to go back to school, and she didn't have anywhere else to take me. I didn't really like that. I was left in a room with not enough light. As much I don't like kids pulling on me, I sure did miss those little stinkers.

I later learned that they closed the school for the remainder of the school year. 

Recently, I began to lose my leaves again. I'm not really sure what was happening. There was so much space in our classroom because everything was spread out, and I couldn't see the kids because something was covering their smiles. I felt so alone and wanted to give up. Maybe I was tired. I don't know.

One day, she trimmed me back until I had almost nothing left, added some more dirt, and continued to water me. I really didn't know what was going on, but I trusted her. 

Then something happened inside of me. Hiding down deep in the dirt I found an inner strength. I began growing, and I felt hope for the first time in a long time. 

I have some new leaves showing off their finest green, just like the kids showing off their smiles now. I have learned that sometimes we go through hard times. Times we have no control over. 

But when we have someone in our lives who loves us unconditionally, believes in us, and is loyal, we find a strength that we didn't know we had.  

I think I am going to make it. I am lucky to still be sitting here in my yellow dress on the corner of her desk just waiting for someone to ask, 

"Hey, is that plant real?"

Love,
Me

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