Day Seven: Propagation and Rooting

7/23/20243 min read

tree roots on rock formation
tree roots on rock formation

Certain plants will root when you cut them off of the mother plant, others simply die.

I was doing some gardening work when my teenage niece called me. Surprised, I picked up and answered. She told me that she'll be in town with a friend and that she would stay at my place. Before I could reply, she hung up the phone and texted me a smiley. I tried to call her back. No answer. I texted her to know when she would arrive and she sent me a screenshot of her flight details. She would arrive the next day in the evening. Deeply confused by the situation, I told her simply: “Cool, see you then”.

It has been some months since I last saw her at a family birthday. She was always somewhat of a wallflower, really loving her parents and interested in teenage girl trends I never really understood. Our relationship was mainly formed through cooking meals together while I made awkward, sometimes crass jokes. She would find my humor inappropriate, especially at family gatherings, often simply shaking her head in disbelief. We always had a good relationship but we were two sides of a coin. Her being somewhat of a mama's girl and me being relentlessly free and rebelling at a young age. We were polar opposites.



Next day when she arrived with her friend I noticed a big change in her general behavior. She appeared to be much lighter, well-spirited and more open and talkative. We chatted a bit and I showed them their room. I went downstairs to fetch them some water to freshen up after their long travels. And wow the teenagers did not spare a second to make the room theirs. Within the two minutes I was gone, they managed to spread beauty products, clothing, shoes, maps of the city and writing utensils across the entire bedroom. The teenage invasion was now becoming a reality. I gave them their respective glasses of water and they would thank me and close the door. Behind the door my niece said that they would get ready and come find me afterwards.

Not knowing how to deal with teenage girls, I agreed to catch up with them later. An hour went by. Nobody showed up. Another hour. No squeak from the upstairs rooms. Then eventually, after roughly three hours they would find me in the living room. My niece looked at me and told me that she wanted to invite me for dinner and that it was time for us to speak.

The teenager opened up about her life, how she searched for more independence from her parents. How she wanted to be her own person and discover more of her own interests rather than copy what her family loved. It has been sometime that she felt that way but she never wanted to hurt her folks. She then continued and explained how she fell in love with painting, new music she has never listened to before. The world felt like hers to conquer. I nodded in agreement throughout. She talked and talked and talked and talked some more. I was happy she was becoming her own person. We would then get her an ice cream like in the good old times when she was a kid. As I handed her the pistachio-vanilla cone, her favorite, she said:


“Uncle, I think you helped me cut the umbilical cord. Last time, when you were at home, grandma told us the story of how you left home at an early age to pursue the unknown. That really gave me strength to do the same. I feel like I am finally flowering and finding my way in the world. Thanks Uncle Fart Face. We hugged.


To me it felt like was well-rooted through the traditions and family values her parents gave her along the way. Now, she was finally ready to grow towards the sun. I am she invaded my house.


Certain plants will root when you cut them off of the mother plant, others will strive.