thriving, or not...

I am a busy, sometimes distracted person.

I joke that any living thing at my house has to thrive on neglect.

A friend gave me a basket of plants from a funeral several months ago.

I invested in four pots and divided them.

Occasionally there's a dead leaf to pull off,

but overall, they've been growing.

Two are doing really well and need turned about once a week.

Late this afternoon I noticed the largest plant was limp.

I guess it's been longer than I thought since I watered them,

so I got busy with that this evening.

When I went to the corner of the family room that plant was in bad shape.

It's supposed to be a spiky one and it is in with ivy.

I thought "a drink will straighten it right up."

When I got closer I saw sadness.

Something attacked it.

All that was left to do was pull off the leaves,

take a fork to dig in the dirt, 

and take out the roots.

Hopefully whatever attacked the tall spiky plant won't affect the ivy.

The change is miniscule,

but after just two hours of being watered this plant is perking up.

By morning it will be back to normal.

I treat all these different plants the same. 

Same watering schedule.

Mostly the same lighting.

Definitely the same neglect.

If I want them to thrive I should do some research.

Surely they have different needs.

And that got me thinking about the people in my life.

Do I take the time to listen.

To remember conversations.

To be aware of the differences?

Or am I too distracted 

and expect my relationships to thrive on sameness and neglect too...

ouch,

that possibility hurts