Scientists have shown that speaking to plants can be a good thing. Plants respond positively to music, engaging them in conversation, and even touch. A few years ago, an article came out that discussed plant intelligence. I was fascinated. But even if you aren’t a plant scientist, there is something to be learned even by the person who, dare I say has a brown thumb. You see to me, plants speak volumes. You just have to know how to “listen”.

Like this succulent, we all have a multitude of layers that make each and every one of us complicated. We would not be who we were if one of those layers were missing. Each petal relies on the ones next to it to be complete and whole. They are better together. When one of these leaves is cut from the mother plant, an entire new perfect wee plant begins to grows from the flesh of a single leaf. The desire to be whole and live is everywhere you look. Life is delicate, special and a gift. We must tend to it, nurture it and love it. Like all living things, we all are perfectly imperfect. Perfect with our flaws, wrinkles, dried up leaves, and sometimes thorny bits. Yet, we have the ability to share beauty inside and out with our neighbors.

We can be wonderful alone, but better together. Being different is beautiful. When different backgrounds, textures, shapes and sizes combine, we can be stunning together and live in harmony despite our exteriors.  Inside we all yearn for the same things. The world and all of it’s living creatures yearn for the same things.

It doesn’t matter if we are plants, animals, people or the earth itself, we have to take care of one another.  The world needs more goodness. We must seek it out in everything.  We must foster compassion, love, tolerance, friendship and acceptance. Everyday we are surrounded by miracles big and small. Today, I realized that these plants have been speaking to me all along. Today, the miracle was that after all these years of gardening,  I “listened” and it was a gift.