Lois is a beautiful lady that I met through the church where Lavender was doing pulpit supply. She is kind, gentle, and strong. This blog post is not about her. It is about a plant that she gave us and we affectionately named Lois.
Lois turned out to be my favorite gift this past holiday season. When we first received her she was just a few inches tall, barley poking out of her bulb. On the ride home, I was thinking, "great another plant for me to kill." I forgot her in the freezing car. So, already she was off to bad start in our house. When we did remember to bring her in the house we sat her on the coffee table where there wasn’t much light but at least some light. Our apartment just doesn’t offer much sunlight. It didn’t matter though because at this time I was still thinking she (she didn’t have a name yet) wouldn’t be around much longer.
She didn’t grow the first two weeks we had her. I am assuming this is because of the lack of light. The amazing apart was that she was still with us. Lavender, being the smart one of the family, said we should move her into the bedroom and place her under the reading lamp because it has a full spectrum light bulb in it. Literally within hours Lois grew a couple of inches and also got a name. Lesson #1- If given the right environment, we all grow.
I was excited to wake up every morning and check on Lois’s progress, turn her light on, and make sure she had enough water. My daughter thought I was going crazy because I began talking to Lois. I didn’t pay much attention to her though because what teenager thinks that their parents are normal? Lois grew so much that she was out growing the reading lamp. New dilemma but no worries because like said Lavender is the smart one and moved Lois to my painting table where she could hang the reading lamp from my dresser. Lesson #2- Sometimes we need to change the ‘right’ environment if we are to keep growing.
I kept talking to Lois, checking on her water needs, and turning her so ‘sunlight’ could reach all of her. Lois made me happy and I liked her sitting on my painting table. I thought I was just taking care of Lois’s physical needs but really she was taking care of my emotional needs by keeping the winter blues away. Lesson #3- When we give, we get.
Now after about a month of having Lois in our house, we got invited over to Lois’s (the person) daughters’ house for dinner. Kim, the daughter of Lois, also had received a plant from her mother. Only her plant was bigger and in full bloom. She was beautiful. I couldn’t believe how bright and lovely this plant was. That night when we went home, I excitedly told Lois that I met her sister and that she was lovely. I impatiently started waiting for Lois to bloom. It felt like it was taking her forever. Every day I would ask her when she was going to open up and be beautiful like her sister. Lesson #4- We all bloom in our own time.
When Lois did finally bloom, she was beautiful. She had eight gorgeous flowers. They were bright and cheery. What I realized though is just how amazing and beautiful it had been to watch her grow. Lesson #5- The journey and the growth is what makes us beautiful.
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