Mitch Hedberg’s Witty Quote on Fake Plants, and Attending to Our Aliveness

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Until recently when I accidentally stumbled upon this quote by him, I didn’t know Mitch Hedberg. He was an American comedian, who most likely said this during one of his stand-up acts.

My fake plants died because

I did not pretend to water them.

Probably it was a one-liner joke, meant to be just laughed at. When I read it though, laughter was not my first reaction. What he said is witty and amusing of course, but I think it comes from a philosophical place. The lines are funny and poetic at the same time…subtly convoluted even, but ultimately, thought-provoking. Just like a Zen Koan, something I savor always.

How does a fake plant die anyways? You may ask.

Well, haven’t we all seen “dead” fake plants?

Covered in dust, we see them at some reception desk, by the entrance of a shop, or even in some living rooms…unloved and neglected. We know they were never “living” and yet sadly enough, they appear “dead”.

Why do we buy fake plants in the first place? To have greenery in our surroundings and make them lively, without having all the responsibility of keeping the plants actually alive. But even for that pretense greenery, we ought to practice the pretense care.

Attention. Without it, even inanimate objects will start to die.

The quote can be extended as a great metaphor for every make-believe thing we may be keeping in our external surroundings or for that matter, inside our hearts – as a vision, a hope, a dream or an inspiration. We must attend to it. Because, only then, there is a chance of transforming all these things, into something real.

My this month’s art/pattern – Planters is inspired by some of my own house plants. All real, not fake! And I would not dare to stop watering them ever. :)