Queen Motha: A Lesson in Growth, Healing, and Letting Go

The Struggle

This past Saturday, I took time to repot a few of my plants, but one of them—my favorite Monstera, affectionately named Queen Motha—gave me a deeper lesson than I expected.

For weeks I noticed she had a couple of yellowing leaves, but I brushed it off as natural aging. It wasn’t until I tried to pull her from her pot that I realized something bigger was going on. She didn’t budge.

I loosened the sides with my little shovel, but still she clung tightly. Finally, when I peeled back the paper wrapping, I saw the truth (She was root bound): her roots were bound, thick and tangled, escaping through the drainage holes. She had completely outgrown her pot.

Breaking Free

I realized then that she couldn’t keep thriving in the same space. To help her, I had to carefully cut away the pot. With scissors and patience, I freed her roots—making sure not to damage them.

It reminded me of life. Sometimes what once held us, nurtured us, even protected us, can eventually become too small for where we are meant to grow. To move forward, we need the right tools, patience, and the courage to break free.

A New Home

Once free, I placed Queen Motha into a larger pot with fresh soil and fertilizer, blending it with the soil she came from. She finally had space to stretch, breathe, and continue thriving.

A Gift of Growth

As I worked with Queen Motha, I also propagated one of her new leaves and planted it into a small pot. This little one is now ready to gift to my daughter who’s away at college—a piece of home, a piece of growth, to remind her that love and nurture always follow her.

It reminded me of my grandmother Gloria, who taught me that plants aren’t just hobbies. They’re therapy. They teach us patience, resilience, and the cycles of life. It’s a teacher. It’s a reflection of life itself.

The Lesson

Queen Motha taught me that:

🌱 Growth requires space — we can’t thrive in environments too small for our calling.

✂️ Healing requires tools — sometimes it takes help, intentional action, and courage to break free.

💚 New life can emerge from pruning — what we release can take root and become a blessing for others.

Plants are more than greenery. They are living reminders of God’s design—rooting, stretching, thriving, and sometimes letting go so something new can grow.

So, here’s to Queen Motha, to healing, and to the lessons that come when we make space to grow.

🌿 Your Turn to Reflect

Queen Motha’s story isn’t just about plants—it’s about life. We all have seasons where we feel root bound, stuck in spaces that no longer fit who we’re becoming.

👉 Take a moment to reflect:

• Where in your life are you feeling root bound or restricted?

• What “tools” (faith, community, courage, resources) might you need to help you break free?

• What can you release or propagate into someone else’s life as a blessing?

I’d love to hear your reflections. Share your thoughts in the comments below, or journal them privately as part of your own growth journey.

✨ And remember: Just like Queen Motha, you are meant to stretch, heal, and thrive.