Growing up in the desert like Texas conditions, I learned to love seeing cacti at every corner and in every garden. If we look deeper into what makes a cactus, it's oddly inspirational? They are a unique plant that I think we can all learn from.
Cacti have these very very small structures on their surface like branches or follicles. These structures are what will produce either spikes, flowers, or leaves. This makes some cacti dangerous and some innocuous. Though all cactus can survive the constant heat and sunlight, some need to be a little more defensive than others. Don't feel the need to be either too passive or too defensive, the desert you live in is different than everyone else's. However you need to protect yourself, is yours to decide. Also, this property shows that some people are mean, some people aren't, so be weary with who you plant in your garden.
Because cacti don't have the same fleshiness to them that other plants do, they don't lose much water to evaporation and transpiration. Some species can go two whole years without water. They are bred to handle the hot, dry conditions of the desert, and they know no matter how long it's been since the last rainfall, rain is coming. They keep strong because they know it gets better. You are bred for greatness, and you are strong. It may have been a long time since you saw rain, sweet, comforting rain, but you must know that it is coming, it will get better.
Cacti have short roots and can react to rainfall and absorb water from the surface quickly. After days, weeks, or maybe even months of the bright hot sun beating down on them they grab onto every ounce of water they can and carry on. When life is beating down on you, for days, weeks, or months, hold onto every piece of positivity, every piece of light you can and carry on.
There are almost 2000 species of cacti, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some are tall and thin, some are short and round, some have spikes, some don't. They are all tough, they are all strong, and what they look like doesn't change that. We all come in different shapes and sizes but that doesn't mean one is better than the other, or stronger than the other. Don't let the fact that you don't look like everyone else stop you from realizing how tenacious and beautiful you are.
Cactus flowers are very beautiful but very patient. Some cactus species will live 40 or 50 years without ever blooming. Cactus flowers will wait decades before they decide to flower because the flower needs perfect conditions to bloom. Don't rush your greatness, it will come when the time is right. Whether it be soon or in the distant future you are sure to bloom.
Be like a cactus. Stand tall, be patient, be strong, hold onto every rainfall, be confident in yourself, and even when the sun is the hottest and brightest keep it together because rain is coming.
