When Amanda, my colleague-turned-into-friend left the company, I bought a plant —Buddha Belly Fig bonsai, named it Amanda (Amanda I) and put it on my office desk. I talked daily to Amanda, the plant. It helped me through the lonely work-days without Amanda, the human.

Amanda the plant survived two winters and two summers, but at the end of last year, it was slowly dying. At the same time, I decided to leave the company. I didn’t want to take it with me because I felt like the office has become its’ home, so I left it with another colleague-turned-friend, Pri.

I did tell Pri that it was dying, so it wasn’t a surprise when Pri told me early this year that it didn’t survive.

Having grown to love my daily chit-chat with Amanda, both the human and the plant, I got myself another Amanda houseplant. This time a Peace Lily (Amanda II), but I noticed that it wasn’t doing well only after a few weeks I brought it home.

At first, I didn’t understand why. I gave it attention. I watered it regularly. And I kept it on my bookshelf as I thought similar to human Amanda, maybe plant Amanda also enjoys books. When nothing seemed to cheer Amanda the plant, Fafa suggested to leave it alone for a while.

I begrudgingly agreed to do so.

I moved Amanda the plant to the study room, to sit alone, with extra space and an equal amount of sunshine. Slowly I could see that it was getting better — healthier and happier.

Meanwhile, when I went to Amanda’s house recently, she gave me a potted jade plant, which naturally must be named Amanda (Amanda III) because it’s from the Amanda

Now I have two Amanda houseplants. Happy to report that both are doing well. Also, yesterday I noticed Amanda II has a new flower bud. I am excited to see it blooms — hopefully soon.