Roots of Resilience

Roots of Resilience For thirty-five years, my life has been quietly tied to a green companion whose identity I didn't even know for most of our time together. Our story began in 1989 in a cold student corridor at Essex University. I came across a shriveled, dying plant left in a discarded pot. Growing up in Mexico, I was familiar with vibrant tropical flora, but this peculiar succulent was entirely foreign to me. I knew nothing of its species or significance, but seeing its quiet struggle, I picked it up and brought it home. For nine years, it stayed by my side. When we moved into a house with an unheated conservatory, my lack of gardening knowledge caught up with us. One bitter winter, a harsh frost settled in, and I thought I had killed it. Heartbroken, I was preparing to toss the plant away when I noticed a tiny speck of stubborn green near the base. I brought it into my bedroom, where it slowly fought its way back to life. In those pre-internet days of 1998, I still had no idea what it was, but I learned its language through observation. I moved it to a sunny, south-facing kitchen window, where it began to thrive. By 2012, it had grown into a sturdy tree, taking up permanent residence in our newly heated conservatory. Through the years, it became a quiet witness to my life. It held my secrets, absorbed my tears, and offered silent comfort whenever I sat beside its thick stems and glossy, bright green leaves. Then, in 2017, it gave me a breathtaking surprise: it burst into a delicate canopy of tiny star-like flowers. Even then, I was caring for it purely by intuition and luck. It wasn't until 2024—thirty-five years after rescuing it—that I finally looked up its identity. I discovered it was a Crassula ovata, known around the world as the Jade plant, Money tree, or Lucky plant. For the first time, I began reading proper care tips, amused that we had made it this far simply on shared resilience. Recently, faced with a major renovation of our conservatory, I had to make the painful decision to rehome many of my plants, including my beloved Jade tree. Two days ago, a young Chinese couple came to collect it. Looking at them, I realised they were much younger than the tree itself. A deep sense of peace washed over me, and I knew this transition was meant to be. An ancient Chinese proverb says: “If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want a hundred years of prosperity, educate people.” So, I let them know that they can contact me at any time to ask for advice on how to care for the plant. In Chinese culture, a Jade plant symbolises far more than financial wealth; its evergreen leaves represent stability, enduring friendship, and deep-rooted harmony. Growing a tree is a lifelong act of patience, a gift passed from one generation to the next. As I watched the young couple carefully carry the tree away, their eyes lit up with joy. My Jade tree had given me thirty-five years of quiet comfort and resilience. Now, it was embarking on its next chapter—bringing growth, happiness, and prosperity to a new young home.

Christmas Day!

" A child is born and born to bring us peace, peace in this earth we celebrate this wondrous birth, in the town of Bethlehem, the saviour has come, the saviour is here, with blessings from above, to bring hope and to dispell fear, the eternal light, the eternal flame, will burn for evermore and shine in jesus name. Merry Christmas to you !" LOVE MJ

New Year’s Eve

I saw this painting when I was 15 years old. It was a print of the Almond Blossoms by Van Gogh. I was Amazed at the beauty of the terse looking petals and pastel blue sky! Simple and Pure! I was 45 when I was lucky to see the real painting. It took 30 years to realised the dream of visiting Amsterdam and see this painting. Many times I thought impossible! The world is full of possibilities, do your best and try, we can only hope that at the end we can see one of our dreams realised. If we get more, then we are blessed! I am grateful for mine! I hope 2021 is full with buds of hope, health and love! Look after each other with compassion, love and care! Happy New Year’s Eve! MJ

Christmas is a time where we think... what can we do better... What can wish...? pause...Think... What can we do well and what determined who we are.... IMPROMPTU? you decided. LOVE YOU! and everything will be OK☺️

Stranger Things Part 2

I T H A S B E E N T O O L O N G........ BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE Midnight seems to be the time that my brain feels is the time to think. Cannot sleep, insomnia is a part of my daily routine. Normally, I will be in bed at 10:30 pm, read a little and then off to Morpheus land. However, now my life is not normal( as what “normal” used to be) We are in the middle of a pandemic and thousands of people are dying. Tomorrow I will visit my son after 5 months in isolation. I have been allowed to visit as we are unsure if we will be able to see him on Christmas day. Sad times are following us, I must not complaint as other families have had their share of bad news and some have lost loved ones. These are testing times! We will have very rough rides and we will have to endure sad things. Let's be strong! "Instead of giving way to despair, I took the way of active melancholy as long as I had strenght for activity,or in others words. I prefer the melancholy that hopes and aspires and searches to the one that despairs, mournful and stagnant" WHEN A ROUGH MAN BEARS BLOSSOMS LIKE A FLOWERING PLANT, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE! (Vincent Van Ghogh)

Good byes!

It is so hard to say goodbye. It does not matter if to a person an animal or a thing! Sometimes goodbyes are needed! Still it is hard to feel it and double hard to say it! As the New year closes in I will say goodbye to a few things!

Goodbye to my 40's! This year approaching will make me 50! Looking forward (not) to this stage!
Goodbye to my youth? I don't think so, I still believe you are as young as you feel. Lots of aches but still going!
What else? I wish I can say Goodbye to my job and welcome retirement!
Goodbye to a dream? Is that ever possible?
Maybe I'd better to say Welcome!
Welcome to a new year!
Welcome to new possibilities!
Welcome to new routines!
Welcome to people!
Welcome to love!
Welcome to a day, night...
JUST SAY WELCOME,

MARCH 2017 PARIS...OH LA LA.

The city in question today is Paris! This is the 4th time I visit this wonderful city. Every time has been an experience, positive? It is getting there. 1st time I visited Paris did not visit the Eifel tower, pushing along a little pushchair with my 18 month old daughter trying to see as much as I could in 3 hours. somehow don't think was the best experience at all. 2nd time I visited this city was with a group of students from college. For many of these students this trip was the first time abroad! Now this can be a surprise for some people back home (Mexico) who cannot understand students from Britain have not travelled to beautiful cities in Europe being so near! (And above all living in the first world, surely is a MOST) I have to admit that at the beginning of my life here in Great Britain, this was a point that slowly started to understand. Anyway...PARIS you started to awaken in my mind!
La vie tres vite! The breeze bring that eferverescense inside, I learnt to feel it! I can recognise it!
D

Love💕