Hearts Grow by Vegetative Propagation

A close friend of mine moved away a few years ago. Initially, we spoke often over the phone and stayed in touch with emails, etc. Slowly, the replies became shorter and phone calls rarer. Now almost an year has gone by without a word. It hurts to not receive a birthday wish, to hear about achievements from common friends, to be forgotten completely. It's not simply a continent that divides us now.

Then one day, I was reading up on the methods of propagation of house plants (I am a budding gardener). If you take a cutting from a plant and stick it into soil, very often it will take root. But you need to take care of it. It has to be covered with a clear plastic bag to retain moisture. It has to be shielded from direct sunlight else it will wither in the heat. If you care for it, you are rewarded by a beautiful new plant to cheer your garden. If you are careless, it will die.

Suddenly I was struck by a thought. For every friend I make, I break off a piece of my heart and give it away. It is they who nurture it. It is a pleasure to walk into their garden and see it grow. If it dies, I am saddened by the loss of its promise. But I can do nothing. After all, it is their garden.

At the end of the day, I walk back to my own garden. My tree may have lost a few leaves, but it keeps growing. In one corner is the plant my friend gave me long ago. I water it regularly with memories of happy days. And I prune the dead leaves of bitterness. In my garden it thrives and blossoms. And then there are all those beautiful tall trees that are gifts from other friends. I feel blessed. I am at peace.