I was so lonely sitting on my own, but then you found me and took me home with you. It was such a special day for me. I felt shy, I was so small and you towered over and above me.
You brushed your fingertips lightly over my skin and you spoke sweet nothings to me. I relaxed in your care and felt at home. Lullabied by your touch and voice.
You would take me out with you sometimes and let me sit basking in the sunlight and feeling the rain upon my face, it was so refreshing. You introduced me to friends of yours and they came to stay over too. I wasn't as outgoing or adventurous as they were as I was still finding my feet - they outcompeted me as I was just still too timid, but you helped me to get a leg up and I found the light once more.
You gave me shelter when it was cold and lovingly nurtured me when there were tumultuous times, the day I lost everything, you were there to help me pick up the pieces and start again.
And slowly but surely I emerged a little bit stronger each day, a little bit brighter, a little bit more me. And then you brushed your fingertips over me and I felt myself wanting to bloom for you and grow into everything that I could be, the fallible perfection that you saw in every part of me...and so I did. I became vibrant and splendid and you looked upon me with so much happiness, it was everything that I needed, to make you smile. Thank you for caring for me.
* * *
I couldn't help but tuck you into my care when I found you alone and in need of help. You were so small and bewildered. I didn't know if you'd make it but I had hope that you would.
Through negligence and malnourishment you had become so stunted, I recognized it immediately and wanted to show you that there was a space for you in this world where you could grow from strength to strength with a little bit of love, nurturing and patience.
You seemed to like the affection I gave and slowly you seemed to perk up a little bit, stand a little taller and be more present in your space. It made my heart smile to know that you were a survivor and that you had it in you.
I tried to show you all the beauty of the seasons but I didn't want you to be frenzied by the gaudy overwhelm of the world so I inched you out little by little. I'm so sorry about the tumultuous time that we both endured that one day. I was devastated by how you seemed to not weather it particularly well and fell apart on me. I tried to nurse you back to health and so I thought that perhaps you needed company that wasn't just mine. I introduced you to others but they seemed to scare you back into your shell.
The day that you came back into yourself, I knew it. You shone so much brighter and then I saw it....
A tiny little bud forming, waiting to explode open and shine out onto the world as if competing with the sun itself. It was such a great day, it was as beautiful as you were in full flower. My little Petal, thank you for the joy you bring to me.
An unspoken conversation between a house plant and their person
The photo is mine, the orchid unfortunately isn't