Plants Are Perfect Just The Way They Are, and So Are You!
Words Carmen Vidal
Photography by Angie Garcia
I take pride in people complimenting my plants, because I am very proud of them and how they have grown. Most of my plants I’ve had for years and I’ve seen them grow from itty bitty 3” pots to big exuberant ladies that grace my home with their beauty.
But I must say, when I started my plant journey I would get very frustrated with my plants not growing perfect leaves, or being the right color, or being weird and brittle. I expected my plants to be like little Instagram models always looking perfect not one leaf out out place. This shit is unrealistic as fuck. Yes, there are certain conditions that you can control for your plants to grow healthy and beautiful, but by no means makes plants “perfect”.
The truth is, this is the way I saw myself as well, always trying to look “perfect”, put together, controlled. No “imperfections” meant I was worthy of being perceived, celebrated, loved. Me trying to apply this same mentality to my plants wasn’t gonna fly, and my plants definitely taught me a thing or two on radical self-acceptance.
The more I commute with my plants the more I learn that their “imperfections” are just signs that they are living beings that are constantly changing, growing, surviving. These details I would see as “ugly” tell stories, bring memories, and teach lessons of how strong and resilient they can be. When I stepped back and just allowed myself to bask in the beauty of what is, I gain a much nuanced appreciation for my plants and the joy they bring into my life.
It wasn’t long before I started applying these same philosophy towards myself. If I can fall in love with their “imperfections”, what’s stopping me from doing the same for myself? Like my plants, I don’t owe perfection to anyone! They are, we are, I am beautiful. Period.
Perfection is the biggest scam, striving for it will rob you of the beauty of the now. I’ve learned this the hard way, by spending years choosing to not see my beauty but rather focus on the many ways I was lacking. This mentality deprived me of my own abundance and if I can say anything to you, our lovely readers, it's to not waste your time trying to fix, hide or deny your imperfections. Stare at them right in the eye, get acquainted with them, understand them. Only then you can decide if this is really something you want to change because it's not benefiting your wellbeing and growth, or maybe it is something you can learn to accept or even love.
Plantitas teach us so much, and this is one of the many lessons they’ve taught me, I hope this message gets to you too. Plants are perfect just the way they are, and so are you!
