Tuesday, March 31, 2020

All is Forgiven


I was angry with my Christmas cactus, because it did not bloom for me at Christmas.  I had placed it in a dark closet and not watered it for the month of November which should have triggered it to start blooming, but nothing!  My African violet was covered with lovely purple flowers with white edges.  The orchid was full of blossoms, but the Christmas cactus let Christmas go by without any signs of color.

About 5 years ago, I had salvaged the plant from my in-laws’ home after they passed away.  It had not been cared for, other than being watered, for some time.  The pot it was in was too small and had been sitting on a windowsill.  This had caused the plant to develop unevenly…all to the right and left…nothing to the front or back.  It was so unbalanced that it fell over if it wasn’t leaning against the glass.  I put it in a much larger pot and allowed it to spread in all directions.  It cooperated and pleased me with blossoms.  Then I moved it to Florida with me.  Even though I had treated it well, it disappointed me at Christmas time.

I became very ill during the month of March with a respiratory infection.  I was ill for over 3 weeks, and because of the covid-19 concern, I was quarantined to my apartment.  I live in a beautiful community, but I was told not to leave my apartment even wearing a mask.  I could not go out for a walk or over to check our little garden plot.


In this time of isolation, my Christmas cactus decided to bloom…..and not just with a few blossoms.  It has burst forth with an abundance of exquisite blossoms.  The individual flowers have multiple petals and the pistil and stamens in the center of the flowers are delicate and beautifully arranged.  The plant has delighted and pleased me.  It brightens my long and rather boring days.


Its earlier failure is completely forgiven, because it has blossomed at precisely the right time.

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