PARABLE OF THE ORCHID
Sitting across from my favorite perch on the porch, is a plant with thick leathery, slightly scarred, gently curved green leaves. Rising from the leaves nestled in a round white container, are two spindly green limbs supported by dried branches of an unknown origin. The support is necessary because the limbs are top heavy with purplish, magenta, and slight goldish undertone blooms. This twenty-dollar beautiful Phalaenopsis (orchid) came home with us three months ago from a big box store. Requiring very little water and a lot of light, the orchid thrives in the dry, humid air of the porch.
To date, the orchid has cost less than twenty-two cents per day and is decreasing daily. The monetary cost maybe diminishing but the value of the orchid’s presence has risen exponentially. One can’t help but notice the velvety, vibrant petals as you walk on to the porch. It enhances the ambience and many days its beauty is my clarion call to a time of self-care.
Things of seemingly little value (monetary) are often the source of great dividends. Research shows that flowers have a positive effect on mood. Orchids are natural air purifiers. They are the ultimate self-care flower, requiring little of the plant parent.
What can we learn from this orchid?
A little investment in self-care has the potential to produce dividends disproportionate to the time and effort of the investment.
Walking just four thousand steps a day can significantly lower the risk of death. Thirty minutes of walking decreases the risk of heart disease and dementia. A ten-minute walk can improve one’s mood. The risk of cancer and heart disease is decreased by 10% for every two thousand steps walked daily, plateauing at ten thousand steps. Walking at any pace helps to reduce stress and body fat and improves metabolism and length and quality of sleep. An hour of walking a week can help improve joint pain, range of motion and mobility. Do you see the small investments? Do you see the large return on the investment?
On average, humans are awake about 16 hours a day or 960 minutes. Walking thirty minutes a day leaves a lot of minutes to get everything else done. Thirty minutes of daily walking is a small investment with short and long-term positive benefits. Who doesn’t want to decrease the risk of death and dementia, improve mood and metabolism?
Walking is just one example of a small investment in self-care. You know better than I what you need. Regardless of your need, I am a firm believer that one can actively manage their health with a little investment of time and effort.
This is what the parable of the orchid said to me.
PONDER THIS THOUGHT--- “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” Warren Buffet
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