A giant fern named Jeff is going viral on social media for its enormous size and how its family cares for it.
Fifteen years ago, his parents bought an ordinary basket fern for their patio. When summer ended, his mother decided she could no longer keep it and planned to throw it away. Her son quickly stepped in. Out of the kindness of his heart, he saved the plant from the trash. He told his mother not to throw it away.
At the time, the young man lived with a roommate. That roommate, also named Jeff and now a priest known as Father Jeff, suggested they name the fern Jeff too. After all, the young man was named Jeff as well, so why not add another Jeff to the house? The name stuck. Over time, the fern became a cherished part of his household.
Today, Jeff Runyan, his wife Emily Rachelle, and their five children in Denver, Colorado, treat the fern as a beloved family member. They carefully bring the plant indoors every fall before the first frost arrives. This annual migration spares the plant from the bitter cold. In the spring, they move it back outside to enjoy the sunshine.
The fern keeps growing larger and more impressive every year. This May, the family repotted the massive plant to give its roots more room. By this fall, the plant had become so heavy that they could no longer carry it alone. They actually had to ask a neighbor for help to move it back inside to its mighty throne.
The plant occasionally brings a few stowaway bugs indoors. It also sheds a hefty trail of leaves throughout the house. Still, the family gladly accepts these minor inconveniences until the fern returns to the great outdoors in the spring.
The family incorporates the giant fern into all their holiday traditions. The children truly love their leafy sibling.
The dad reflected on the deeper meaning behind this family tradition. He thoughtfully stated, “This is what happens when you put love into things, right?”
The family got a lovely surprise this year. When they moved the giant fern outside this past spring, they discovered a tiny baby fern growing inside a pot next to it. The plant had reproduced. Naturally, the family named the new addition Jeff as well.
Jeff was just one decision away from the trash, yet fifteen years later, he is a cherished family member with a baby of his own. We sometimes write people off in this exact same way, and often far too quickly. At work, we might overlook the quiet employee who struggles to speak up, or we label a new coworker as a bad fit after just one rough month. In our relationships, we might stop calling a friend who becomes hard work, or we quietly give up on a spouse or family member who tests our grace.
But with God’s love and a little patience, no one is beyond hope. Rather than trying to change the people around us, it is so much better when we look inward and let the Lord change our own hearts first. Let us focus more on offering genuine love and care to others, rather than finding their faults and walking away. Let us ask God to give us the grace to see the beautiful potential in everyone we meet today.
WATCH: Man Saved a Fern From the Trash 15 Years Ago, and Look at It Now
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