Yule Ramblings #22: The Beachy One

My boss asked me to water her plants while she was on vacation. I don't claim to have a green thumb. The fact that my great grandfather was a florist seems to be irrelevant, as the verdant magic touch vaulted itself fixedly over me.

However, I acquiesced to lend my boss a (non-botanic) hand. Because what employee tells her direct superior: "Nope. This is a bad idea. So it's not going to happen."

In its stead, I replied, "Of course. It'd be my pleasure to help."

Anyway, Monday came. And the plant-watering appeared to be well administered. On Wednesday, I followed up to water those potted beauts again, and this time, noticed some odd water amoeboid rings on the glass desk the dirt vessels stood upon.

Ah. No worries. Back to business. Water, water, water.

On Friday, my boss's Post-It note stack had visible water warping and her paper mache pen cup had darker-hued stains around its bottom. Water had leaked onto desk chair, and seeped through the cracks on a few of shallow desk drawers. But - Ah. No worries. I watered again. Water, water, water. Secretly thanking the merciful greenery gods that this was my last day of flourescent-lit floriculture. I returned to my boss's office later that afternoon to place her mail upon her desk when Alas... water everywhere. Finding its ways through every crack on every desk surface. A great lake on her monthly At-A-Glance flat desk calendar.

What had happened? I had been trying to water fake plants.

Due to my perennial naivete (or herbaceous unwillingness), I hadn't been able to tell the difference between what was authentic... and what was artificial. She gave me this ornament as a holiday gift two years ago. I do appreciate it. It reminds me of very her powerful words. All of her powerful words. And I believe, she embodies the value of the words below on a daily basis.

A fierce woman with a gentle soul... what a pleasure to have worked with her, to have learned from her. She always believed in the best, dreamed of progression, and celebrated the milestones in between.

The sand dollar legend tells of Jesus, and the five slits on its surface represent the five wounds of Christ during his crucifixion. The five-pointed aspect in the middle serves as the figurative star of Bethlehem. It leads us on our journey forward - through both pleasure and pain - but thus are the transoms we all encounter throughout life.

Did you know that if you break a sand dollar, there are always five doves inside? I imagine they are flying toward freedom, away from a life of material possessions, currencies and transactions.

What I learned from my former boss is worth more than whatever salary I received. I miss her. And I still aim to make her proud.

I've never found a sand dollar on the beach. I've only found them in gift shops.

Yet, that's good enough for me.