Millicent Bloomed

The resilience of nature is quite amazing – don’t you think? When I first moved to Cleveland and officially started my new job almost three years ago, it was the first time since 1994 that I had my own space at work with a door that locked. In the lands of prairie dogging this is a good thing. Only draw back? It is freezing in my corner of the world. On these recent days approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit – my space heater has been cranking. (May karma forgive my carbon footprint) Did I mention no window? Home sweet Cave. Back then, I sheepishly asked the Plant Man if he might have something for me and my space. (His name is really Brian – but I call him “Plant Man” and he responds back with “Hey Food Lady”…) One of the interesting quirks of working in a food production plant is that all flora must be screened and tended to by a professional. Right on schedule, Plant Man brings me a lovely plant the very next week. Since then Plant and I have been spending time together. We chat, well I chat, he listens. I feared for his happiness though – you know, he was a PLANT and we were in a CAVE. A freezing cave with limited light… I listened during botany class and I was sore afraid. Week after week, Plant Man would come to water Plant. Amazingly, Plant began to grow bigger and bigger. Plant Man and I talked about this phenomenon a while back. He commented on the growth and I said, “He really seems to like it in here!” Plant man looked at me chuckling and said, “But no! He is a she! She will bloom.” I told him I couldn’t imagine that - her living where she was… Amazingly, last week, two days before my birthday, Millicent bloomed. I am still rather in awe of her. Despite everything against it, she bloomed. I had to give her a name at that point – it wouldn’t have been fair if I didn’t. After all, anyone with a child knows that no one knows your real name any more once you become a mother. So. Lesson for today? BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED. Until next time, Ian’s Mom