The Rocket

Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: Opinion

Jen Meyer - Copy Editor

Have you ever wondered if plants have thoughts? I like to think so. While I've never had a tree ask me how my day was, there have been times when I've imagined that the trees were whispering to each other as I walked past. No, I'm not paranoid. I'm just a nature geek.

Right now, I'm staring at a houseplant. It sits on my corner table, bringing life, energy and lush greenery to what would otherwise be a drab, empty, lifeless part of the room.

And I can't help but wonder what if this plant could talk? Would it tell me its life story, how it struggled and pushed its way to the surface so it could relish and thrive in the light of the sun? Would it share with me the secrets of nature? Some wisdom about life?

"I live in a pot, in case you hadn't noticed."

Excuse me?

"I'm a houseplant. My roots have never touched real soil."

So?

"So what do I know about nature? I've never been outside."

You have a point.

"All I do is sit here, day after mind numbing day, and make your corner look nice. I never get to experience a different part of the room, much less the outdoors."

You do look very nice in that corner.

"I'm lucky if I get watered regularly."

I'll have to work on that.

"It's like I'm nothing more than eye candy. I feel so used."

Well, wait a minute now. You do more than just make my corner look nice.

"Oh yeah?"

You really offset that lovely picture of my fiancé.

"Ugh! At least it's in front of me. I'd never flower if I had to look at that ugly thing all day."

Hey! I happen to find him very attractive.

"You would."

That was just mean.

"Who cares? My leaves need dusted."

Hmm. On second thought, maybe I don't want to know what plants think.

Of course, I doubt they're all as cantankerous as my houseplant. I'll bet the outside plants are more content. For example, I imagine the maple tree in my mother's yard is probably very amicable.

"Excuse me," it might say, "but I would very much appreciate it if you could be a tad more careful with the lawnmower. You keep running over my exposed root, and I must say, it's a bit upsetting to see my own bark turned into mulch."

This all probably sounds pretty silly to many of you, and it should. It's not like we hear plants talking everyday. But seriously, who's to say they don't?

There are so many things in this world that we don't know. Science has come a long way, but it is also very limited.

All I know is, I've spent my share of time outdoors, and no one can convince me that a tree is not a living, breathing entity. I'm certain that a seedling has some kind of will to live and thrive, and that an old tree feels some kind of shock or pain when it gets blown over by a windstorm. And I'm going to keep believing that until science proves me wrong.

"You do that. And I'm going to keep believing that I'm not getting watered until next Friday."

Thank you, Houseplant.

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