The Green Heart of my Home

The green leaves fluttering in the breeze keep the surroundings fresh and lively, full of life. Having plants around creates a refreshing feeling that rejuvenates both mind and body.

I too have a few potted plants growing inside my home as well as outside. A house feels warmer and more welcoming when there are plants around. They take away the sense of loneliness or emptiness, almost as if someone is always there with us.

I even named my first plant ‘Oxy’, a snake plant. I still remember how excited I was to welcome this new member into our family. My brother and I collected mud to pot it, returning home completely dusted and dirty. Mom was upset, but since she was the one who had sent us, she didn’t scold us. We even bought manure to mix with the soil so that the plants could grow well.

Before ‘Oxy’ came, we had already tried growing outdoor plants like spinach and tomatoes. Some grew successfully, while others failed, mostly because they dried up or were destroyed by monkeys pulling them out of the soil. Even now, though many of our plants are growing well, there is always the fear of monkeys. They are so mischievous that they not only pluck plants but even take clothes off the drying line. Sometimes they search for the smallest cloth, remove it carefully from the clip, and even wear it perfectly! It’s funny to watch, but at the same time, they create a lot of trouble.

When I first planted ‘Oxy,’ I was worried because it didn’t seem to grow at all or rather grew too slowly. I placed it outside in the sun and rain, but then it stopped growing completely. For months there was no change. Finally, I kept it inside near my bed, and after a few weeks, I noticed new leaves sprouting. Now, I water it occasionally and keep it where soft sunlight reaches. Slowly but surely, ‘Oxy’ has grown beautifully and is still growing.

Plants inside and outside the house hold so many stories, these include children playing in the park, parents caring for them, adults taking walks, people rushing to work, and quiet moments of life unfolding around them. And among those stories, mine with ‘Oxy’ is one of them.