Longevity

This Christmas Cactus is over forty years old, and, I'm ashamed to admit, is still in its original twelve inch container. I've lugged this thing on maybe ten different moves; it's a thick brick-colored pottery pot, and heavy. The payoff has always been the gorgeous and prolific flowers. This time I thought for sure I'd done it in--stuck out in the yard all summer, no thought, no water. It looks dried and scarred and hopeless. Except. Except just look at what it's doing after all this time. I pledge to repot it after this season's bloom, although I'm a little afraid that such kindness would kill it after all.