It's My Nature to Nurture by Alison Henderson

I'm a born mom. I think I knew it from the start. How many other junior high school girls would have read The Grapes of Wrath and been overcome by a desire to feed every starving Okie in California? Now that we've moved to the tourist mecca of Carmel, we have lots and lots of company. And what do I want to do? Feed them, of course!  Food is still a major expression of my need to nurture. I'm not sure where this came from--certainly not from my own mother. I'm surprised I'm not Jewish or Italian.

I never had aspirations for any particular career, and although I enjoyed surprising (to me, anyway) professional success, the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment in my life have come from being a mother to my wonderful daughter. I was a very hands-on mom, and we are still extremely close. She lives half-way across the country and is pushing thirty, but she still calls me nearly every day to share what's happening in her life. I've also 'adopted' some of her friends when they needed me. I even took her best friend wedding dress shopping twice because her own mother wasn't in the picture.

When I was working, I managed a brood of a dozen mostly younger employees. The best part of the job was training and mentoring them. I always kept a box of tissues on my desk, because somehow word made its way around the company that I had a good shoulder to cry on. Once when a visiting executive asked me to define my position--I was V.P. of Underwriting and New Business--I told him I was the Office Mom. He seemed a bit taken aback, but I considered it the most important aspect of my job.

The big jade plant

I'll mother anyone or anything that needs it. I can't help myself. I'm currently nursing a new succulent garden made up of rejects from one of my neighbors. She called one day and asked if I'd like a few starts. I said sure, I love succulents. When I arrived to pick them up, I was shocked. She loaded the back of my car with a big jade plant that had been yanked out of the dirt and the roots allowed to dry, several other plants that were nothing more than broken stems, and one with a long stalk covered in dried, dead leaves. I brought them home, dug a few holes, and stuck them in the ground. I've been watering them faithfully and watching for signs they're going to "take" on our rocky, dusty hillside. 

This was just a broken stem.

I'm happy to report they all look pretty good. The leaves have plumped up--a sure sign they've put out roots. Sometimes, all anything or anyone needs is a little TLC and some serious mothering.

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com

This aeonium is showing new growth.