Wildflowers are small bursts of color that pop up from the soil with no prodding. They were not planted intentionally, they grew out of their own fruition. This is one of the reasons I have always been fond of wildflowers.
Growing up, my family went on a lot of different road trips of varying lengths. Yet, no matter the destination or the time it took to get there one thing was always certain — I would be able to turn up my music, rest my forehead against the chilly window, and watch diligently as we drove by copious amounts of wildflowers on the side of the road. Their colors always shone bright through the wind, the rain, or the cloudy days.
I stumbled on a quote by Julie Andrews (one of my favorite humans ever). She wrote “Wildflowers — I envy them. They’re brave. Seeds cast by the wind to land where they may, they stand and hold against most hot, most cold. They persevere, roots shallow yet fierce and free. They epitomize to me all that I sometimes yearn to be.”
After reading this quote I understood why I’ve always loved wildflowers. They’re steady despite their circumstances. Though the wind may blow them around, they may be uprooted or outcast — they stand firm. Wherever they are planted, they not only thrive, but they bring beauty to their surroundings.
There have been times in my life where I have felt uprooted, like the circumstances of my life were beyond my control. The most prevalent time in my life where I felt least like a wildflower is my senior year in high school when my parents divorced. Unfortunately, this is a phenomenon that is no longer uncommon, but having that knowledge does not seem to soften the blow of knowing your life is never going to be the same. No more family road trips or holidays. No more family celebration dinners or movie nights. I didn’t feel brave and fierce, I felt hopeless and powerless. There were some days I didn’t feel like I could stand against the storm that was now my life.
It’s been five years and I still have days when it’s hard, but I’m striving to live like a wildflower. To be a beacon of color in a world where darkness clouds the horizon. To be brave in my everyday life, to take risks. To love fiercely and to stand tall every day despite the rain that will come (and it will come).
Wildflowers also seem to never be alone. They are surrounded by other wildflowers. Luckily, I have a group of people surrounding me whom I consider to be sturdy wildflowers. Even when I’m not feeling brave, they remind me that I am. When I’m feeling down, they pick me up. Life isn’t meant to be lived in seclusion. That’s not saying a community needs to be a large group of people. In fact, I kind of like my community close-knit and small. Despite the size of the community you choose to surround yourself with its important that they will be a positive influence in your life.
