Deerhorn Shamanic Services

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Lessons Learned from Air Plants

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I am one of those people who really like the “unusual” things in life. I like to learn weird facts about things because I find them to be fascinating. I also like when stuff just looks creepy and weird. Not necessarily horrid, just creepy is what I enjoy.

Air plants are like that. The way some of them grow into things that look like anything from sea grass to spiders to snake-like creatures. I am a sucker for them. But I cannot keep them alive for very long. I read the instructions and do what is suggested…misting once a week, keeping out of direct sunlight and such. And still they will inevitably die on me. So I have decided to not adopt anymore of them into my house because I feel that others would have a much better time keeping them alive than do I.

This leads me to wonder what types of lessons there possibly are for me to learn from Air Plants. Well, let me see…

  1. Nothing in life is forever or permanent in any way.
  2. If we over attach to the wrong things in life, we live a life of disappointment.
  3. Just because something is fascinating does not necessarily mean that that thing is for you.
  4. It is always alright to try something. It is also alright to let something go after complete and constant lack of success with it.
  5. Just because you may not be good at something does not mean others won’t be good at it. Give them opportunity to accomplish what you could not.
  6. Research can only take you so far. After that, life just steps in.
  7. Having a green thumb does not necessarily mean that you will have success with all plant life.
  8. Go for what brings you joy and a sense of accomplishment, and let the failures not hold you back from succeeding in other areas of life.
  9. Criticizing yourself for your failures is a heartless and self-abusive act.
  10. Remember that every time you fail, you learn one more way to NOT do something successfully, which is more than anyone who has never even tried it will ever know.

Really, many of these lessons can be learned in other ways as well. But I did find that attempting to grow Air Plants really drove them home.