AN OASIS OF JOY

One Christmas my mom received a gorgeous Cyclamen plant to cheer her.  Oh, that plant bloomed continuously for over 2 months! After it finished it looked quite dead, but mom wanted me to take it home.  Mom’s room didn't get much sunlight,  because there was a large spruce tree in front of her window and besides, there was such limited space on her little TV table. 

I really didn’t want more plants in my house and asked mom if I could leave it in the ‘Link’ as we called it. She agreed! The Link was a connecting walkway between our care centre and the manor next door.  It has a lovely little seating area, is full of houseplants and lots of windows to let the sunshine in.

When mom and dad first moved into the Manor in the mid 80s, it was mom who volunteered to take care of these plants! Because she had the greenest thumb I know, the Link was always a showcase of thriving, blooming, interesting plants. The dead leaves and spent blossoms had no chance to fall; she picked them off meticulously! She lovingly washed leaves and made them shine with her secret recipe. Residents and family members loved to ‘set a spell’ and bask in the sunshine and the fragrant air, especially in our six months of dead of winter! It was an oasis of joy!

When someone moved, family members would donate more plants.  Mom would propagate, talk to them, in German I'm sure, lovingly nurture and then in the spring sell off what was simply getting to be too many plants.  The funds raised went into the Tuck Shop to support the Recreation Department!  Mom did this for many years until she moved into the long-term care centre herself.

Now back to the quite dead Cyclamen with all it’s leaves cut off. I had placed it into the Link and watched it for weeks.  Our new volunteer for this area looked after watering it.  I was almost ready one day to throw it out because it just wasn’t doing anything, when I noticed a tiny little sprout poking through! 

From then on that plant just demonstrated a new will to live and bloom where planted. It continuously bloomed in this spot – without ever taking a rest – for over 3+ years. Mom and I went to visit it quite often and she delighted knowing it was still alive and adding a splash of vibrant color to its surroundings for the joy of all who came to visit. The plant finished blooming about 6 months before my mom died.  I have recently helped the new volunteer re-pot, freshen up and clean up the whole Link, so that new plants can grow and continue to bring joy to our seniors. What a lovely memory!