Rescue Operation (Bright Year: Day 325)

How we even got the succulent in the first place, I do not know. All that's clear is that my wife and I had no idea how to care for it. We subjected it to a path toward death, first by ignorant treatment, then through willful neglect. Leaves (are they leaves?) faded and fell off. It turned into a deathy mess, all distortion and discoloration.

Before we could toss the whole thing, our son stepped in. He interceded for the plant, claimed he would revive it. "Fine," we said, "have at the disaster."

The heart has its reasons, and our big-hearted son started tending the succulent. It became part of his daily routine. Water - just enough - each morning. Physical supports. Maybe there was therapy involved too, I don't know. Sure enough, the thing rallied.

The succulent is still the ugliest object in our house. It has gaps along its stem and branches that never quite recovered. But there, basking in our son's hopeful attention, appeared the undeniable: new green.