I have a plant. One of many but this is a plant I want to tell you about today.
It’s a Periwinkle or Vinca as many of you may know. In Hindi, it is popular by the name Sadabahar which means something that always blooms. This plant is almost a year old and lives in my balcony. At a place where it gets a lot of Sun and strong winds. And its blooms are white. Small 5 petals make up a flower and I don’t think there is any fragrance. But who cares about that as long as it blooms?
There are many reasons why I love this plant.
But primarily, I think of this plant as our lives.
The plant doesn’t know on which day or for how many days, the Sun would stay strong. The plant doesn’t know the direction of the wind on a particular day or if there will be one. The plant can’t walk indoors if it rains a lot. The plant stays where it has to. And it waits for the harsh weather to pass.
Life is no different. There are tough days and we don’t know when these days will come. When they come, they come. We don’t know when they will pass. Or how long it will take for them to pass.
The Sun, wind, rain or rainbow – we can predict to some extent but in our lives can we really? We couldn’t predict COVID which evolved into a pandemic taking away so many lives. We don’t have any control on what turn lives will take.
Very much like the plant, we only have two options: to stay put or to give up.
This little plant tells me to not give up. It teaches me to sway with the wind and bend as needed but try to not break. When the leaves fall and the lone stem stands, the plant tells me that it’s okay to feel alone. When things change, leaves will be back and the flower will bloom. In life too, people may leave sides but some others come around.
We can stay, sway and wait for the weather to pass.
This little plant teaches me to be resilient and it sets an example for me. It tells me tough time won’t last but tough people will.
Friday Reflections is a link-up hosted by Corinne at The Frangipani Creative, Shalini at Kohl Eyed Me and yours truly. We invite you to join us every First Friday of the month to share a good cup of tea and your reflections based on the prompts we provide or free write. You can find the prompts for this month here.
happiness and food 
“We can stay, sway and wait for the weather to pass.” So true and insightful, Parul!
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I also have a white Sadabahaar, and just this morning I was gazing at all it’s blooms with admiration.
It rightly teaches us not to give up come hail, storm or shine.
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There is so much to learn from our plants. I have a few plant stories of my own. The important lesson for me has been – love and care are capable of bringing a soon-to-be-dead plant to life and blooming again. (Some have still gone ahead to die despite the recipe of love, attention, care and change of environment, maybe because they needed something else which I am yet to discover.) This has given me faith that love is the answer for healing. I once came across a quote which roughly said – ‘Love is the answer even when it is not the question. Pardon me for going on my own trip here 🙂
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I do not have a green thumb in my body and I am always envious of people who can grow plants, my dad especially. But I love to observe them as you did in this post. And I totally agree. There is so much a plant can teach us! ❤
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How amazing that plants and trees are able to teach us so much about life than we give them credit for, Parul! I loved how the lesson to imbibe patience came from your tiny Sadabahar! I realised while reading your post how my plants have been with me, standing by, faithfully, through the rain and shine, always.
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Completely agree and very well said. So many lessons we can learn from nature. Insightful post.
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Thanks Ramya! So good to hear from you after long. Hope you are well.
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Hi
I visited your site. I can read some blog. You have good knowledge & experience. So interesting & advisable written you. Wonderful this blog write for plants you recommend the life of trees. I like. Very knowledgeable story write you.
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Thank you for your kind words.
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You are most welcome!
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That’s a beautiful lesson taught by the little plant. I am always amazed by the lessons and wisdoms imparted by the nature. Loved your reflections, Parul 💕
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