Old Life Print

Not many people know this, but I am estranged from my mother. One of the few things I’ve kept from her is her ZZ plant, which she gave to me on the premise that it was already dying. It was the first plant I’d ever taken responsibility for and I was nervous to do so; it had 2—3 stalks and looked dreary. I would have considered it a great success if I just kept it alive. That’s just what I did: I tended to it just enough to keep it viable—not because I didn’t want it to grow, but because I didn’t know how to help it flourish. This went on for years until I one day when I decided to see how it could best thrive. I settled it in different locations in my home, researched its ideal conditions and followed through as best as I could. I’ll never forget seeing the first stalk peek out of the soil—I was ecstatic! Seeing that new bud meant that not only was I giving it what it needed to grow, I was also capable of loving it enough to do so. As it steadily filled up with more stalks, I often worried that it would suddenly die. I felt this fear that no matter how much I cared for it, it wouldn’t be enough to keep it alive. When one of the stalks started to yellow, I got overly anxious, thinking it was the beginning of the end. I watched that stalk slowly whither away until I had to cut its remnants away at the base. I was devastated… until a new bud sprouted nearby. Over the next few months, I watched this new sprout slowly grow and eventually bloom into a stalk that was taller and healthier than its predecessor. This plant taught me some of my favorite lessons: 1. We all have a chance to grow and flourish, no matter what circumstances we inherit. 2. Respect the various states of the relationships in your life. Embrace the connections that come and go, change, and remain, and accept those that must be relinquished. 3. Allow yourself to have an old life.

Print:Giclee on Canvas

Size:16 W x 20 H x 1.25 D in

Size with Frame:17.75 W x 21.75 H x 1.25 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.