Lessons from Pothos

Lessons from Pothos

I believe much of what we need to know about sustaining healthy relationships can be gleaned from the intentional observation of nature. You are not required to subscribe to my belief, but I invite you to consider what a thriving plant can teach us about restoration, renewal, and growth.

The Gift of a Cutting

My Sistah-friend in Florida cares for a magnificent pot of pothos. It is the centerpiece of her lanai—her screened porch, for those of us who live outside Florida and Hawaii. While visiting, I asked for permission to take a slip for propagation, and she graciously granted it.

That slip thrived on my screened porch during its first summer. When the season changed, I placed it in the perfect southeast-facing window in my “She Shed,” where it has remained ever since.

Surviving, but Not Thriving

Overwatering is about the only way to kill a pothos, and I came close. The plant survived, but for the first year it did not thrive. Clearly, the relationship between me, the plant, and its environment needed to be restored, re-storied, or rebooted.

I considered repotting it, but my son, a plant dad, reminded me that pothos plants often like being slightly root bound. So, I paused and asked myself: What would I do to save the plant?

For days, while the plant suffered, I mulled over what to do. I did not want it to die, but my indecision was not helping.

Untangling and Support

One afternoon, I retrieved a six-foot green garden stake from the garage and placed it in the center of the pot. Then I began to carefully unravel the stems and leaves, gently taping them to the stake. By the time I finished, the plant covered most of the exposed portion of the stake.

For about three weeks after repositioning the leaves and stems, I wondered whether I had made a mistake. Some leaves turned yellow, and I had to pinch them off. Others fell away on their own. Pruning was occurring. Slowly, restoration, re-storying, and revitalization became visible in the remaining foliage and new growth.

The Relationship Lesson

Looking at the thriving plant now, I see a clear connection between nature and relationships. Some relationships remain in survival mode for a long time. They may have history, familiarity, and even comfort, but they no longer fulfill a need or support growth.

Perhaps you are content with the status quo. But if you decide you are made for more, untangling may be necessary.

·       Some relationships will fall away on their own.

·       Some will need to be re-storied because they can no longer support your quest for more.

·       Others, if both parties are willing, can be restored, revitalized, and strengthened.

Growth That Multiplies

I have not yet repotted the pothos. It continues to grow, and I have propagated four additional thriving plants from it. Like healthy plants, healthy relationships produce other healthy relationships.

PROVERBS 27:9

PONDER THIS THOUGHT---The quest for continued growth follows the natural process of letting go, outgrowing and pruning.

SISTAH-FRIEND'S POTHOS