Mama's Green Thumb

Jessie Lou grew up on a farm and yet somehow never had a knack for growing things (other than children).
Anytime she found herself in receipt of live plants, she would honestly thank the giver and then, with a sigh, say something to the effect of, "It's a shame it's gonna die."
Inevitably, it did.
Every Christmas Cactus, miniature rose, pathetic pothos, geranium or any other plant would in short order find itself either dry and brittle or yellow and wilted ... either way, dead as a doornail. She would say, "Even a prayer plant doesn't have a prayer."
UNTIL ...
A friend came to visit her in the hospital and brought a beautiful African Violet. Mom loved purple, just loved it. She thought it was the loveliest shame of all. But, as she always did, she researched the care techniques for the doomed plant and with renewed hope, tried to keep it alive for as long as possible.
She knew it needed special watering, that the leaves shouldn't get wet, but it should be watered from below, etc. She placed it in the kitchen window above the sink. It had a lovely view of the backyard, where the herd of children played. She sang to it. She watered it dutifully and after a bit ... began to boast and brag about her newly found green thumb. Why in four years it had bloomed consistently and looked as healthy as any greenhouse plant.
UNTIL
One day, the unthinkable happened. It fell...right into the sink. Strange. Water came pouring out and rotted stuff was revealing the truth .... the plant had been a beautiful artificial plant all along!
I wish you could have seen her face, full of surprise and more surprise and then ... the laugh. The laugh that came from deep within and would raise itself up over and over again whenever she retold the story in the years to come. Never had an artificial plant had more attentive love and care. It had served more than a purpose, it was a STORY.
Needless to say, she received many more similar plants from me and as I write today, there is one on her grave ... making her smile, because I remember.
~ The African Violet is in the shadow of the vase. Those are sculptures the girls made of themselves and a tea bag from Jen