Crotons

Crotons

I love these plants. We have it all around our home. Attractive with their brilliantly colored leaves. I like them very much because in my memory that was one of my first scientific words that I knew when I was a kid. It is that awesome feeling of euphoria when I understand something in science. I don’t know why that is. And that levitating feeling of self accomplishment, though an illuding thought, if possible, was even more pronounced when I was younger. Now am relatively experienced (am 2.2 decades old...sigh) which has enabled me to identify it to be a misleading illusion, a fact that fortunately doesn’t bother me. So what I am saying is that I am a sucker for scientific stuff, stuff like jargons, stuff which I don’t understand, stuff that has more than 2 words that are separated by a hyphen, stuff that are nonexistent but those which would be cool if they do exist, stuff with which I can fool people if explained believably, stuff that helps me win arguments and debates, stuff that are imaginarily wild and fascinating, (I love milk. I always think it would be nice to create genetically engineered cows that would directly give flavoured milk. The cows could even be colour coded. Ok...ok...) stuff that are the livelihood of science fiction writers and other stuff similar or related to all the stuff mentioned above.

And I am more attracted by biology of course. I am a biotechnologist by education. My grandpa is a botanist. My dad is a medical practitioner. A couple of aunts and an uncle are doctors too. Two of my cousins are fully fledged biotechnologists with PhDs and Post Docs. One cousin is a fresh doctor now and another cousin has started his first year in the medical college. Biology is many a times the subject of the dinner table conversations, sofa set conversations, on the floor conversations, travel time conversations, literally any conversation.

So pardon me for finding the following and also making it a point to say it here. The genus we are actually referring to when we say “crotons” is Codiaeum which is a genus under the family Euphorbiaceae. There is another genus called “croton” under the same family actually. The family is a quite famous one. I think the famous poinsettias and jatrophas belong to it. Codiaeum variegatum is the species which we commonly have in our homes.

Have you even wondered how beautiful leaves are? No. Not in a croton. Just plain old green leaves. It makes me almost angry at the fact that very rarely do people look at the leaves. Most of us are too busy going “ooooh” over the flowers to actually appreciate the brilliance and beauty of leaves.

The most appealing thing about leaves to me is their pure functionality. Sustenance. No Frills. No flashes. Simple. Purposeful.

No. I am not demeaning flowers. I am just appalled by the fact that leaves are not getting the acknowledgement it deserves. Leaves are not included in the verses of poems and songs. Leaves are not used as adjectives to the lady love in duets. There are no boards in the gardens that say “Do not pluck leaves”. Nobody picks up a fallen leaf.

No. I think that fact as such doesn’t appal me. What offends me is the fact that it is the very same fundamental reasons which make us do this horrible and apathetic evil in all aspects propagating this inconsiderate bias and blindness leaving victims everywhere and in everything. Not just leaves.

Consider the following. These are some of the common facts, thoughts and opinions that exist among us.

Hardworking people are boring and not adventurous.

Simple people are unattractive.

Loyal people are very predictable and therefore unromantic.

Studious people are mugpots and don’t have an ounce of intelligence.

Emotional people are a burden.

Caring people, a nuisance.

Relatively un-westernised people are morons.

Traditional people are gutless.

Religious people are superstitious.

Non drinkers are people who don’t have fun.

Non party goers are loners. (Possibly creepy too)

People who talk with their parents everyday are childish and un – independent.

Patient people are losers.

People who hope are idiots.

Content people are un-ambitious.

Careful people fear risk.

Cautious people are paranoid.

People without an elaborate hairdo have hair that is unkempt.

And consider the following for a contrast

Intimidating people are confident people.

Bullies are attractive and strong.

Rash drivers are sexy.

Smokers and drinkers are people who are living their life.

Detached people are mature.

Cold people are cool.

People who keep “moving on”, one too many times, are resilient.

People who use others are intelligent.

People who affect smiles and conversations to “build” contacts are career oriented and ambitious.

Whimsical people are independent.

People who are not loyal are victims of misunderstanding.

Liars are humorous.

Flirts are merely extroverts.

People who go abroad are the really capable ones.

People who have unkempt hair have a cool hairdo.

Of course there are so many stereotypes that I cannot possibly write them all here. We all know these. Pity ain’t it?

Goodness doesn't flash. It glows.

Unfortunately, its only flashes that are seen.

I love crotons. They are pragmatic enough to have realised that they would never be appreciated for they are merely leaves and hence, morphed, retaining their true essence, but enough to fool the blind and biased world.