I never had a green thumb

I could never will the plants to grow
No matter how much water
Or light
Or soil
Or space
I gave them

Even my Aloe
Gave up the ghost
After bravely fighting
My negligence

And I always felt bad
That I couldn’t coax life
From the soil
Like so many had
Before me

But then I realize
That in all my years
Of listening to others
And offering empathy
Advice
A place to vent
A shoulder to cry on
Or a safe space to heal

That I may not have been born
With a green thumb

But I’ve always had
A green heart

And that is just as good