The Allegory of the Saguaro Cactus

Guest Post from Lindsay Ragan (she/her)

Lindsay has chosen to take her family and venture into the desert of Arizona. Together, they spend their weekends off roading, camping, or just enjoying the dry heat. She loves napping, podcasts, driving with the windows down, and napping.

A huge, unexpected storm tore through Mesa, Arizona Sept 12, 2023. The morning revealed the disastrous aftermath. There were trees split in half, completely uprooted, large branches blown off and down the road. In the middle of the destruction the Saguaro (pronounced suh-wah-row) stands. 

This cactus only grows in a specific area of the Sonoran Desert. Its exclusiveness makes it special. It makes the desert iconic and breathtaking.  Like all things that are worth it, it takes time to grow. If you see one five feet tall, it is probably well over FIFTY YEARS old. If you see them with arms, they are probably over ONE HUNDRED years old and have abundant access to water so they could expand their breadth. A very few rare ones will fan out on the top in a crest.

This summer has been long, hot and very dry. Other desert trees have dried to their cores and died. The Saguaro has invested in its own development from its thick waxy skin to its protective needles. They adapt during prosperous times and droughts. When water flows, the cactus’ skin will expand as the sponge like pulp absorbs water in its straw shaped ribs. In extreme drought the upturned arms may start to droop or if necessary, they will drop off completely, saving the rest of the system. 

There may be other trees who have managed to get massive with time, but they can have shallow roots and so they fall over when the wind blows hard enough. The Saguaro has a taproot that goes down five feet, holding it solid.  

The Saguaro does not only exist unto itself, but it also provides much to the ecosystem of the desert. Gila woodpeckers and glided flickers will knock holes into it for nests. The cactus will develop scar tissue around the nest to protect it. When those birds leave, it welcomes new visitors who will continue to eat pestering bugs and the decaying tissue to keep the cactus from rotting. They will help spread its millions of seeds by eating its sweet fruit. 

I am in awe of these desert giants. 

I want to be like the Saguaro. 

I can take my time to grow at my own rate, based on my individual conditions.

I can adapt to new experiences, thrive, and expand my reach to bigger things. 

I can celebrate myself and the unique gifts I bring to my environment.

I can invest in myself by developing my talents and accepting where I am right now.

When the unexpected in life comes, I can hold onto myself with all my various tactical tools like self-compassion, mindfulness, and loving kindness.

I can drop that which is no longer serving me such as unrealistic expectations or worry about others’ opinions. 

I can establish confidence like a deep tap root, believing in my intrinsic worth.

When it is hard, I can buckle down and save the precious resources through self-care. I can adjust my focus until I can fill back up. 

I can stand open to the diverse community around me, offering what I can give. Together we can continually benefit from our relationship. 

I AM like the Saguaro. The storm has passed, the sun shines, the sky is cloudless and bright. The Saguaro has already refilled itself from the downpour and basks in the heat it thrives in.