A member of Zion once gave me a small potted plant as a gift. To be honest, I had never been successful at keeping plants alive. Every time I tried, they wilted too quickly, leaving me disheartened. Sure enough, even though I followed the instructions carefully—watering it at the right times and in the right amounts—the plant soon began to droop. “I can’t do this. I must not have a knack for plants,” I sighed to myself.
Some time later, my mom offered me a few plants she had repotted. When I hesitated, she reassured me, saying, “These ones grow well even if you leave them alone. You won’t need to fuss over them.”
Trusting her words, I placed the pot near the living room window and didn’t give it much thought afterward. About ten days passed. When I finally looked at the plant I’d brought from my mom’s house, I saw that two large leaves had turned yellow. A gentle touch was all it took for them to fall off. I immediately regretted neglecting it. Meanwhile, the plant from Zion had grown four new leaves—fresh, vibrant, and full of life. The difference, I realized, was attention. As I had watched it begin to wither, I found myself talking to it: “Are you thirsty?” “Doesn’t that water feel refreshing?” Sometimes, I would gently stroke its leaves. Without even realizing it, my care had revived the plant and it had responded with new growth. It reminded me once again: What breathes life into anything is genuine attention and love.