Think of an orchid. What comes to your mind?I've always thought of orchids as inspiring and very special. They look fragile yet perfectly designed...with a kind of elegant refinement. For me, orchids have always been exotic, exquisite and classy... not your ordinary flower!
Orchids didn't grow in Western Pennsylvania where I grew up. Gardens there were filled with zinnias, daisies, and other easy-to-grow flowers. We only saw orchids in expensive corsages imported for Mother's Day.
Having that orchid sit in my sunroom gives me a certain satisfaction.
The first orchid plants I ever saw up close were grown by a friend. She had multiple varieties and could recite all their botanical names! Her collection was stunning. She belonged to the local orchid society. I was inspired... Yet, I was also intimidated with the thought of trying to grow one-- let alone her ten or twelve!
My next exposure to live orchids was as a gift. I had gone to Trinidad, West Indies to teach and admired the orchids growing everywhere. Soon, my supervisor handed me an orchid bouquet and welcomed me to the island! I enjoyed that bouquet and the orchids outside my apartment. No wonder the orchids grew so well, I thought... Life here was slow and sweet. There was sun, warmth, and plenty of rain. All too soon, though, I had to leave... and that made me sad.
Years later, when I went on a trip to Hawaii, I saw more orchids. They were nothing short of magnificent. My attitude remained "look and enjoy but don't touch... and don't even begin to think about taking one home."
And yet, one day before we left to return to the mainland, I saw a collection of flower photographs offered at a reasonable price. My luggage soon contained professional quality photos of orchids and other tropical flowers. My surroundings would be filled with images of the tropics I love.
Apparently, I am not the only one inspired by orchids. Last week, I met Bill Strickland, the founder and chief energizer of the Manchester-Bidwell Corporation in Pittsburgh, PA. Bill believes you can Make the Impossible Possible. In my reading before the trip I learned that Bill, too, liked orchids. But, unlike me, he was determined
to grow them. He'd also decided that kids from the inner city with little hope for the future could be trained to grow orchids and to learn a marketable profession in the process!
While visiting, I saw that vision brought to life. The orchid sign "A Legacy of Inspiration" is found at the entrance to the greenhouses. For Strickland's kids, the orchids represent new possibilities, new promises of what the future can hold. After I got back home and saw that photo I started thinking...Perhaps the orchids could be a legacy of inspiration for me?
So this morning, I headed to a local nursery...The same one I've visited for inspiration when I miss the islands. This time though, I planned to bring one of the orchids home. How hard could it be to grow one anyway? My close friend in Raleigh had managed to move an orchid from state to state as her family moved. If she could do it why couldn't I?
Perhaps all along I had some misconceptions about orchids...The woman at the greenhouse, told me that orchids are easy-to-grow and don't take a lot of fuss as long as you know what they like (indirect light, not much water, and definitely no "wet feet"!) So, it was settled. I picked out a beautiful orchid and headed home.
I recognize that my wrong assumptions about orchids- and other things?- are created by me. But I also realize that I can grow beyond what seemed impossible in the past. Now I have my own "Legacy of Inspiration", an orchid that lives right here in North Carolina with me!
