Two years ago, a friend gave me a beautiful crimson poinsettia for Christmas. I am not a skilled plant caretaker, so it is a huge accomplishment that the poinsettia is even still alive. However, the plant has not bloomed red again. A quick internet search revealed that getting a poinsettia to rebloom requires, by my standards, a  rather intensive care regimen. Mine has just been getting by with sunlight and water, and lately the plant is definitely showing some signs of stress. So, feeling inspired, I recently pulled up instructions and made notes on my calendar to remind me of the next steps I should take to hopefully renew the poinsettia this year and maybe even help it rebloom next winter. I don’t know if it will be enough to make a difference, but I’ve decided it’s worth trying at least once. None of the steps are terribly hard or complicated. It’s mostly just a matter of remembering and then changing my habits in small ways to execute them. 

It is often hard to tell just by looking whether or not a human is thriving, but it is easy to observe that there are a lot of intense environmental stressors for humans. With a little deliberate forethought, some relatively small habit changes, or maybe even a reminder here and there on our calendars, I think we can help nourish each other in significant ways. In fact, I am much more optimistic about the potential for small efforts to help humans thrive and rebloom than I am about my efforts on behalf of my poinsettia. 

With the spring equinox approaching quickly in the northern hemisphere, it’s the perfect time to lean into nature’s rhythms and cultivate life in all of its forms. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Care for a child in any way. 
• Offer to help water a friend’s houseplants or care for their pet(s) when they need a hand.
• Sign up to be an organ donor.
• Invite someone whose social life might need a boost to participate in an activity with you.
• Reach out to someone that you haven’t been in touch with for a long time to renew the relationship.
• Breathe life into someone’s idea or dream by asking questions, listening, and encouraging them. 
• Sign up to take a QPR Suicide Prevention Training online or in-person.
• Shop small and/or engage with social media content for a local or small business (i.e. like, share, tag, subscribe, comment).
• Smile at ten people who look like they could use a lift!

“See here!” and [Dickon] pulled down a thick gray, dry-looking branch. “A body might think this was dead wood, but I don’t believe it is—down to th’ root . . .”

“There!” he said exultantly. “I told thee so. There’s green in that wood yet. Look at it . . .”

“There’s a big root here as all this live wood sprung out of, an’ if th’ old wood’s cut off an’ it’s dug round, an’ took care of there’ll be . . . a fountain o’ roses here this summer.” 

Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Secret Garden