I keep a bunch of cacti at my house. This may or may not be because they're about the only plants I can actually keep alive, but I digress. Anyhow, recently, I remembered one that I had put in a windowsill three months earlier and promptly forgotten. I found it all shriveled and sad and I watered it in hopes of a miraculous recovery. Somehow, it stayed alive, and within a few days it was as healthy as ever. I found myself amazed at how a prickly little plant could be so...forgiving. This started off a chain of thought: What else can be learned from a cactus? This is what I came up with.

1. It's OK to be prickly sometimes.

We all accidentally wound people with things we do or say, and it's no different for a cactus. It's something that happens; all anybody can do is move on.

2. Diversity is neat.

There are about 2,000 different varieties of cactus in the world, of all shapes, sizes and colors. No two are exactly identical. The same goes for humans.

3. Good things come to those who wait.

A cactus knows that if it holds on long enough, the drought will end and there will be rain. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that our troubles are only temporary. If we have patience, our problems will find solutions.

4. It's OK to take your time.

It takes 70 years for a saguaro cactus to produce its first flower. It's OK if we take a while to bloom, too.

5. Even if someone is scary on the outside, they can be soft on the inside.

Some varieties of cactus can absorb up to 200 gallons of water during a rainfall, making the inside soft and juicy under all those spines. Remember that humans with a prickly exterior can be soft inside, too.

6. We are important to those around us.

Without cacti, dozens of species would go extinct and throw off the balance of the entire ecosystem. Even if someone seems unimportant, they have immeasurable value.

7. We sometimes bloom when it is least expected.

Christmas cacti typically bloom, you guessed it, at Christmas. The one at my house is different. Not only does it bloom at Christmastime, it blooms for my sister's birthday in May. These unexpected blooms seem even more special because they exist against the odds.