Try to Save the Plant.

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On cutting off the dead things and watching new things come to life.

Five months ago, I wrote about a plant on my room’s balcony that takes nothing but occasional water to keep it alive. And still, that plant started suffering from the very beginning. If you remember the post, I’m sad to announce that I met it dead when I resumed school. The poor little plant’s leaves had turned brown and had wilted.

I wish I could write that I disposed of the plant and moved on with my life, but that dang plant sat on the balcony for the next three weeks. It just sat there, taunting us and daring us to move it. I kept telling myself that this would be the day I’d heave the plant. It sat there. And it sat there. And it sat there.

This week, I walked outside on our balcony and noticed a new plant sitting in the sunlight and soaking up the rays.

“What is that?” I asked my roommate. “Did we get another plant?!”

“It’s the plant,” she said. “The same one from before.”

I did a double-take. No way. This plant was vibrant and green. This plant looked healthy. This could not be the little dead plant that was left alone for far beyond 14 days. This plant was THRIVING.

I wondered who decided to give it one more go. Who trimmed the dead leaves, resituated the plant, and covered it in new soil. And how in a matter of a day, that plant had life back in its leafy limbs. I was shocked and amazed.

This morning, as I’m taking my cereal and writing this post, the plant is sitting outside, living her best life. She is glowing, and she’s in her element– finally living how she was always meant to live. I don’t know what changed, but I also think it’s remarkable that you could show up with a pair of scissors, cut off the dead things, and watch new things come to life. With just a little time and energy, and the will to try again, something is different this time around.

It makes me think of the passage in Isaiah 43, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Cut off the dead things and watch new things come to life.

I don’t know who needs to hear it, and I honestly don’t know what “that plant” is in your life today, but I felt so compelled to show up here today and say this:

Try to save the plant.

Maybe you’ve tried a million times before. Perhaps you have one more little try left in you. Cash it in.

Give it one more shot.

Try to save the plant.

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Lately, I’ve been thinking about this blog and how we’ve been going strong for the last one plus year. We’ve been through so much together. We’ve learned together and I’m honored to play the smallest role in your becoming.

But as I’ve been thinking about it lately, I keep remembering the feeling of knowing I always belonged at the table. And if there is any feeling I could ever hope to conjure with my writing, I pray it would be that one. I pray my words will bring you a sense of hope. I pray they would feel like coming home or finding shelter from the rain. I pray you always know, no matter how much time goes on, that I will make space for you here. You always have a seat at my table and I want you here. There’s always a space for you here.

I pour my heart out on this blog and I love getting to interact with so many of you. But there are also so many of you that I never get to know about and I want to. So I’m asking earnestly, will you write back to me today? Will you let me know you’re out there? Just tell me about yourself. Whatever you want to say.

I want to know you’re at the table. I want to know how you got here. I want to know if you like cookies. I want to know how you make your tea and what you worry about at night when the rest of the world goes to sleep. You can tell me anything. You can tell me nearly nothing. You can even attach a picture if you want— of you, or your beautiful family. Whatever. I just would love to spend some time reading about you for once.

This community matters so much to me and I would really love to know the faces who sit at the table day after day to read my posts. We’ve built a really beautiful thing together and I pray it’s a table that only gets longer as time goes on.

I know it sometimes feels like the world forgot about you but I pray you always know you belong in this corner of the online world. The lights are on in the kitchen for you. The cookies are set on the table. The tea is being made and the kettle will be hissing soon. Come inside, friend. Have a seat. 

If you’d like to connect with me beyond WordPress, here is my WhatsApp link for more access. I hope to see you there.

I am Oluwaferanmi, 

And you are loved by God.❤

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