My first plant, fittingly named “Tzemah” (Hebrew for “Plant”), is somewhat reflective of my mental state. It’s definitely in my head, of course. A friend brought it to me several years ago. I was going through a tough time, and she said “You better have something to take care of.”

Ever since, both Tzemah and I have grown. We’ve had great success and various lows, and we’ve had some massive haircuts. However, I keep watering it, and each time I reflect on the week (or two) I’ve been having. Out loud, just to be perfectly clear. I don’t know if it hears me, but it helps.