I Prefer Wildflowers

Here’s this week’s reflection. I hope it resonates with you and ask that, if you enjoyed, please comment and share on your social media. Heartfelt thanks for all your support!

Keeping the light on for you,

Carol

When it comes to picking friends, I’ll take wildflowers any day: rogue perennial sorts popping up where least expected year after year; cultivars that buck convention, bloom in unlikely places, and refuse to be suppressed, flourishing outside society’s parterre while smirking at their staid, firmly potted brethren. 

A recent gathering reaffirmed this love of eclectic horticulture at a first anniversary soiree for two such nonconformists lucky enough to form a hybrid later in life. Their fragrant landscape of family and friends proved lush and diverse, deeply rooted in love, respect, and admiration. I dug in and savored the vibe of mature years lived adventurously well, ready for a new season around the sun. I also smiled at appropriately fitting wildflower arrangements displayed throughout the venue. Casual, carefree, and uniquely beautiful – just like the couple being honored.

It is precisely this sort of spirit I find most interesting, entertaining, and insightful. Carefree wanderers scattering vibrant kernels on Life’s highway and, in so doing, encouraging the rest of us to explore adventurous roads less traveled. 

My husband and I are privileged to enjoy several such specimens in our bouquet of friends. And they never cease to delight as well as fortify. As hubby and I stare down a new decade in aging, we prioritize time with these tall poppies, harvesting mental bounties critical for prolific longevity. Having lived vicariously through them, their encouragement has tilled our interest in planting ourselves on the fun side.

If I had to choose a single word to describe these species, it would be resilient. Hardship, disadvantage, and loss have been annoying pests, but “rally” is their resistant genotype. They survive all the more florid, displaying colorful bursts of hope across difficult terrain.

It always brings a smile to see a courageous lone bloom expressing itself in unconventional places. One who scoffs at the notion of staying put and relaxes into new digs thanks to the wind’s sweet caress. Yet those preferring to huddle down en masse in inhospitable sites are equally as beautiful, their Eden of strength reminding us that alone or together, we will survive.

So, how do we nurture growth of such grace under pressure? I believe it starts with dusting about in Sol’s circles where age seems only a number. Fertilize with an insatiable quest for knowledge. Wander into shade occasionally for introspection, and stay well hydrated with self-love and acceptance. Finally, give ourselves permission to freely express our heart’s desires, regardless of climate or topology.

Yes, some cultivated greenhouse specimens will perhaps mock us through their protective glass panes. I say, simply give them a wink and wave while finding our own place to leaf out. Unlike our pampered friends, we have no boundaries, and our hardy constitution establishes roots in wondrous places. Freedom, after all, is the continuous soaker hose for viability in areas where the delicate dare not traipse. 

I encourage you to find such plots and genuinely appreciate gifts of disparate beauty. Exotic or loud florescence always adds to a nosegay, while petite or softer hues add stability and undergrowth. But the diminutive are far from shrinking violets, possessing delicate tenacity and pulchritude requiring closer inspection. Offer the attention they deserve and watch the entire arrangement grow ever more beguiling.

Wildflowers provide everyday fragrance and remind us the goal of existence is not perfection, but an engaging collaboration and strength of spirit. What matters is the journey, and such souls have the penchant for scattering seeds of audacious enjoyment. Allow them to propagate in your friendship garden, and watch the magic happen.