Our Love Fern

I don't know when I first started referring to the outdoor Bonsai tree The Beloved gave me for Mother's Day as our "Love Fern" but I obnoxiously did, and it made me laugh in my head a bit every time, taking me back to the movie - How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days.

I am perfectly aware it is not a fern.

Mostly-

unless for some crazy reason back in its pedigree it stems (ha - like my pun) from an ancient fern. Unfortunately, I'm obviously not a botanist  or into horticulture. 

Anyway, one day after we'd been away on vacation for about a week we arrived home and our Love Fern looked completely dead - brittle, brown, and lifeless.

I was sad.

This little plant was a weird, cheesy representation of our love and I would not let it die.

I continued to water and soak it in sunlight with hope beyond this world.

The Beloved would shake his head at me, laughing -

It's dead. It's okay.

It's not our love.

One day I finally decided to give in and throw away the remnants of our silly Love Fern. I had been dedicated to reviving it for about 3 months but to no avail.

As I grabbed the base of the plant to toss it something green caught my eye - new growth;

Fresh, beautiful, green leaves sprouting from the bottom!

HA! 

Our Love Fern Survived!

Let's shout for joy and barf over the cheesiness all at the same time!

So many analogies came to mind after this experience.

Never Give UP.

Sometimes we feel like the very hard work we are doing on the outside doesn't affect anything  - it may seem hopeless, but we have no idea what is being accomplished on the inside! The beauty about to sprout in our lives is closer than we think and is so very worth our hard work.

Now don't you just want to go out and buy a Love Fern?

Every body's going to be doing it soon. I'm sure of it. :)

New growth at the bottom

Looked pretty dead on top