Gratitude.
What are you grateful for today?
Last year, a dear friend gifted me a tiny baby fiddle leaf fig. It was small, fragile, almost unsure of itself. My firstborn helped me plant it last June. We pressed the soil down gently, watered it carefully, and placed it near the light — hopeful.
Just when I thought it had settled in and taken root, it was attacked by mealy bugs. I did what most of us do these days — I asked Google. The responses were mixed.
Some said, “Just toss it. Not worth the trouble.”
Others said, “If you treat it carefully, it can survive.”
Isn’t that true about so many things in life?
My firstborn came to the rescue again. He brought neem oil. We treated the leaves patiently, one by one. It took time. It took consistency. It took care. But slowly, the plant revived.
I could have thrown it away. It would have been easier.
But it only needed TLC — tender loving care.
Today, when I look at that fiddle leaf fig, taller and stronger, it brings me immense joy. Not just because it survived, but because we didn’t give up on it.
And I can’t help but think — isn’t this true about all living beings?
Some just need a little extra TLC.
Last year was not easy for my firstborn. After graduating from law school, he couldn’t land a job for months. As a parent, watching your child struggle — especially one who has worked so hard — is heartbreaking. All I could offer was encouragement, reassurance, and space to regroup. More TLC.
Eventually, he found a position. Not the one he had envisioned, but a start. A stepping stone. Experience being built quietly. These are tough economic times for many, and I am grateful — deeply grateful — that he chose to live with us in the meantime. Sometimes flourishing doesn’t look dramatic. Sometimes it looks like staying rooted until the season changes.
My second and third children will graduate from college this year. My second is steady and thoughtful with his choices. My third didn’t have a Plan B when life didn’t unfold the way she hoped. So now she adjusts. Recalculates. Rethinks.
And that’s alright.
I am a worrier mom, I worry about not worrying about my middle child. But in the back of mind I know that they will be fine. Because I believe I have given them roots , strong roots.
Strong roots matter more than perfect plans.
Plants don’t grow overnight. Neither do careers. Neither do dreams. Some seasons look like stillness. Some look like setbacks. But underground, roots are forming. Strength is building. Resilience is deepening.
Gratitude, for me, is not about everything going perfectly.
It is about recognizing growth — even when it is slow.
It is about choosing care instead of discarding.
It is about trusting the roots you’ve planted.
Today, I am grateful for my fiddle leaf fig, this is what it looks like today. It has a long way to go before it reaches the ceiling , it isn't that tall yet but I am sure it will keep on growing , for I will continue to give it the TLC it needs, when it needs it.
I am grateful for resilience.
I am grateful for children who are learning to stand tall in their own time.
And I am grateful for the reminder that sometimes, all we need — whether plant or person — is a little extra TLC.
What in your life right now needs a little extra TLC instead of giving up on it?
What season are you in — planting, waiting, or growing? Would love to hear about it.
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