Belen Gad

I love plants–specifically cacti. I’m drawn to their simplicity and their capability to adapt to the harshest of circumstances. I love their ability to not need the circumstances around them to be life-giving for them to flourish. I’ve also learned that before a cactus even produces its first flower, it can take as long as 70 years. Cacti remind me that growth is a process. I believe my love for cacti stems from my ability to identify with them. I’m someone who is also in constant growth, and often times the results of my growth are slow to be shown. I also admire that while a cactus grows, it remains rooted. I also want to be rooted–rooted in who I am and what I believe–rooted, but also constantly growing. Every day I’m growing in the way I see the world and interact with people. I’m growing in what it looks like for me to live authentically. I’m growing in my ability to endure the situations of life that are difficult by giving myself grace. I admire a cactus’ ability to withstand climates that would otherwise suffocate other plants. I believe its because they were made to be resilient. I want to be resilient. I want the characteristic of resilience to be rooted into who I am because I believe resilience breathes growth. I want to embody the characteristics of a cactus by constantly growing, remaining rooted, and practicing resilience.