In the last MWM I wrote about my love for peace lilies and how those green plants can let their thirst be known. This week’s ‘favorite’ usually does not complain if it has not been watered. They are forever companions which quietly go about their task of cheering up a room. They are the many varieties of the green plant known as the philodendron.

            The name comes from two Greek words, which literally mean ‘lover of trees’ and often the philodendron has been known for living in tree branches. As houseplants, however, I like them because they grow quietly, consistently, and easily. Moreover, they extend their vines and continue to grow with little care. My sister-in-law showed me a philodendron that had all but circumnavigated her sun room, extending its vine twenty or thirty feet.

            If there are people in our lives who let their needs be known like the peace lily, there are also those who reach out and connect with the people around themselves without fanfare. Like the philodendron, such people add grace to a room while maintaining a low profile. They unite others and avail themselves to people in need.

            Perhaps I am a philo-philodendron, a lover of the philodendron. After all, these plants continue to make connections, ready to reach out whenever possible. At the same time, they remain in touch with their roots, which allow the vine to thrive. Not a bad model for humans to follow.

“I am the vine, you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,

because without me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5