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ricky: great-grandma, you always know just what to say!

“Get a plant and name it after yourself. I tell that to everyone, especially if they have trouble with self-love. Take care of your plant every day. Water it, make it beautiful. If your plant is growing and nourishing, that means you’re growing and nourishing. If it’s dying, you have to ask: ‘What’s going on with me?’ Every time you see a dead leaf, pluck it off. Say out loud: ‘Get rid of dead relationships in my life.’ That means anyone who is lingering, stealing your energy, blocking your blessings. You need to put yourself first, second, and third. When you’re back to one hundred, then you can take care of the world. I learned that the hard way. I’ve been working since the age of twelve. I’ve been on my own since the age of sixteen. In my apartment there are four plants named after me. There’s Jiu Jitsu Deisy; she’s delicate but dangerous; the vines look like they’re choking each other out. There’s Yoga-Horoscope Deisy; she represents my spiritual life. There’s Rocio, which is the middle name of both me and my mother. I hated that name for a long time, until last year, when I made amends with my mom. Then the last Deisy is Little Deisy. She’s between six other plants, named after women in my life who have nourished me.”