The Outside Plant

Febuary 9, 2010

It was planted with a group, fed with loving sun and given water. Warmed with soft soil and sprinkled with extra fertilizer here and there. Surrounded in a large farm, its only world, by many like itself, it was the youngest of its kind, of whatever kind it was; the darkest sprout there. As the plant grew, it went through many trials, it was stomped on and birds flew down and pecked at it secretly, leaving holes only the plant could see. When the plant looked back to the pit of soil it grew in, with the many other plants around it, it had noticed that it was much further from its home and all the things it knew and recognized. The plant was alone. For months, and months the plant tried its hardest to live strong. It seemed no one was there for the plant anymore, mot even the farmer. Time passed and the plant grew. It spent its time helping other plants, whispering to the insects, and trying to photosynthesize as best it could in the shadows around it to get stronger, not realizing it, itself, was beginning to wilt, just the tiniest bit, One bright morning, a morning much like the others a small boy came to the field and looked amongst the plants. Out of all the plants there, he spotted the darkest one that was wilting; the outside plant. The plant noticed the little boy too, and their affection grew for each other, as the little boy cared for the plant; making it stronger. The little boy did not come every day, and the plant knew it could not depend on him; it needed to be more independent. So it once again stood strong, tall with open leaves, catching the rays of the sun. Even as dirt and dust blew, it stood tall, facing the wind like a wall. When the birds came to peck it, it grew more leaves to feed the birds. Everywhere the plant looked, it seemed like all the other plants in the field had bore, or was bearing fruit; but not the outside plant; this was okay though. The plant had grown distant from home and was hurt and alone, but this did not stop the plant from looking ahead. It may not know what fruit it may bear or why it's in a field with other food plants, but that doesn't mean it should wilt away. This plant WILL grow, pollinate and be pollinated. It will find its fruit and bear it, but until then, it will stand against all odds, doing what it can for other plants and hoping for the next time it will see the little boy.