Are you languishing?

This morning I went out to my back deck. The two potted geraniums flush with red blooms two weeks ago have stopped blooming, no sign of any future buds.

"What's wrong? Why has my geranium stopped blooming?" I wondered. I bought these plants picturing the flowers in window boxes in romantic European cities, figuring they must be low-maintenance since taking care of any plant on a 4th story window ledge couldn't be very convenient.

In 2015, Dan Gill wrote in the New Orleans Times-Picayune: "Geraniums languish in the heat, so move them to a shadier location for the summer."

As someone obsessed with words, I understood the meaning but wanted to read the definition:

languish (v.):

(of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble;

suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation

synonyms: weaken; deteriorate; decline; wither; droop; wilt; fade; fail; waste away; go downhill

It's not hard to see the metaphor.

If you are languishing these days, it's not surprising. Rather, it is understandable & predictable.

"Move into the shade"- seek solace or whatever meets your most basic needs. You are still alive but requiring some extra attention and tweaking of thoughts, circumstances, expectations.

Take care of you, ok? Your roots will thank you & reward you with gorgeous blooms again in due time.

I promise.