It’s amazing how something so small can grow into a cherished part of your family’s story — and I’m not talking about a pet or a person this time. I’m talking about our China Doll plant — yes, that delicate-looking in-house greenery that’s been with us for more than thirty years!
We bought it back when we were living in Scarborough, around the time when the kids were still little. It sat modestly in a regular-sized pot by the window, no more than 1 to 2 feet tall, with only a few sparse leaves. Back then, it was just a part of our growing collection of houseplants — adding a little green touch to the décor, nothing too dramatic.
But this little guy had big ambitions.
Before we knew it, it began growing — fast. In what felt like no time, it had shot up to the same height as our kids, standing tall and proud in its sunny corner of the house. We’d walk by and joke that it might one day outgrow the room if we weren't careful!
Of course, we had to repot it as it grew — more than once — and regularly trim it down to keep its shape and size manageable. Despite all the pruning, it kept bouncing back with fresh, feathery leaves. The China Doll has a mind of its own — but in a gentle, graceful kind of way.
Over the decades, we moved houses and entered new life stages, but the China Doll came with us, always adapting to its new surroundings. It quietly stood in its corner — not flashy or demanding — but always green, always growing, and always reminding us of the passage of time.
Now, after three decades, it’s still with us — a humble, leafy witness to our family’s journey. We’ve made the decision to keep it small now, almost the same size as when we first brought it home. A kind of time capsule in plant form. Its slender stems and delicate leaves are a gentle reminder of how life changes — and yet, how some things stay the same.
There’s something more personal, too — something I’ve never really told many people. When the house is quiet and I’m alone, I often find myself getting close to this little China Doll, almost like visiting an old friend. Sometimes I can feel this quiet connection — not in words, of course, but in a way that sends a gentle energy, like a soft pulse of life between us. There were even times it gave me goosebumps, as if the plant was alive in a deeper, more spiritual sense.
Maybe it's just imagination, or maybe it's something more — but one thing is certain: we like this little old plant like a friend. It’s been with us through all the seasons of life, quietly present, faithfully growing, asking nothing in return except a little care and attention.
So here’s to our thirty-year-old China Doll — our in-house green companion that’s aged gracefully with us. May it keep thriving, leaf by leaf, in its quiet corner of the world, and may we continue cherishing its presence like we would an old, loyal friend.
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