A friend told me that she saw on craigslist an offer for free orchids. Not lush, blooming or almost blooming buds, rather orchids that had already displayed their flowers and were destined for the garbage can. The woman who posted the free orchids worked for a florist that supplied them to hotels, wineries, and restaurants to beautify their spaces.
Once the orchids were no longer doing their job, they would dispose of them. This disturbed the florist employee, so she decided to find homes for these spent orchids.
My friend did not know much about orchids, but she decided to learn. She watched many You Tube videos about how to care for these beautiful plants. Now she has more than 100 plants in her home. She nurtures and cares for the orchids. Once they are again about to open their spectacular blooms, she gives them to school teachers, nursing homes, and friends who will appreciate the flowers.
There are so many aspects to this story that intrigue me. The florist employee took it upon herself to rescue perfectly good plants from the trash heap. She recognized that our society has become so full of disposable items. My friend saw the posting and took action to be of help. And, she learned a new skill that now allows her to provide enjoyment to others.
What else, who else do we dispose of too readily? When something breaks or isn’t as beautiful as it once was, do we try to repair or nurture it? When a relationship gets tough, do we just move on or do we look for ways to give it more love rather than less?
What do you do to keep stuff out of landfills? To nurture yourself and others back into bloom?