Silver-nerved

Friends, this is my silver-nerved fittonia. Over the Fourth of July holiday, our offices at the seminary were closed, and so I had to leave him in the office alone. Yesterday, coming back into the office, he was looking a bit droopy and slightly discolored, but after a nice dousing, his leaves are bright green and his silver veins intense as ever.

I've grown to enjoy his company tremendously. It seems odd, but it is comforting to have his green presence in the office. There had been two lilies and a few other plants in the office along with the fittonia; however, he's pretty much dominated the room with his quiet. He perches on his own corner of the table, and enjoys the bright light from the window. I have to turn him almost each day because he's so responsive to sunlight. I can tell that over the weekends, his leaves would turn towards the window and I'd have to spin him around so he'll be lighted evenly.

I've often wondered what happens to plants when they receive sunlight (aside from the photosynthesis, ok?), and have marveled at their responsiveness to sun. It's clearly visible that they are thriving, healthy, and happy when they are well-cared for. I forget to water or forget to turn him towards the sun, and the effects of my forgetfulness are immediately noticeable. That kind of reaction is stunning, and strangely, is so often absent from our daily lives. Those nerves are not of steel, but they are silver veins...