Thorny Beauty
Photo by Diane M. Dresback
I have always loved wildflowers. Mostly, they are classified as weeds, and we mow them down, tug them out by their roots, and exterminate them with chemicals. I understand that reasoning in certain places—like a well-kept yard. I have pulled and cursed at my share of those nasty, persistent weeds ruining my gardens over the years.
In Arizona, some have bland, beige rocks in their front yards, and for fifty weeks out of the year, we witness this sleepy, humdrum sight. Then, in the spring, up through those rocks, a glorious, radiant sea of color emerges—a wavy rainbow of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet—a mass of dazzling shades and hues.
Photo by Diane M. Dresback
More and more pop up through the hard soil every day until, after just two short weeks, the flowers wilt, wither, and die. The homeowners then spend a couple of days removing all the ugly remains until their yard returns to that same old monotonous pile of vanilla stone. Even with all the work required, they somehow feel it worth the extra effort to display that flood of color, no matter how brief.
I have never lived in a small town. But I find myself in one now. I recently went for a walk around our humble abode, which is in the middle of nowhere, and found myself surrounded by the most gorgeous wildflowers. Purple, yellow, and white emblazoned across the otherwise muted desert.
Reaching to pick some of those lovely blossoms to place on my table, I soon discovered the stalks were covered with huge, sharp thorns. So much beauty encircled by an abundance of menacing prickles. The floral petals were delicate and magnificent, but were positioned against barbed wire fences, sharp cactus, and an underbrush full of snakes, beetles, and scorpions. Only a few steps could inflict much discomfort. Yet, these most wonderful, resplendent flowers sprang up to stand tall amongst all their surrounding adversity.
Photo by Diane M. Dresback
The more it rains, the more the blooms grow. They multiply. And they fight to advance in the oddest, most impossible places. Wildflowers are resilient! We have become used to thinking of weeds as a nuisance because, somehow, they inevitably return, always reaching for the warmth of the sun and the cooling of the breeze.
We face a dichotomy. Do we pick the flowers OR let them flourish?
Pluck something so beautiful to hold in our possession for only a brief time, or enjoy its existence by allowing it to remain attached to what supplies fuel for its life?
Photo by Diane M. Dresback
Suddenly, the parallel becomes obvious! A striking comparison. An amazing representation of both the pain and the beauty of nature and of our lives.
Life is thorny. Life is beautiful. Life delivers the unexpected—some joyous and some challenging.
We grow through our struggles, and when it rains in our lives, we learn to become stronger and more robust. We bask in the gentleness of the sun and the caress of the breeze as we recognize the limited number of years in our short lives.
Photo by Diane M. Dresback
Our dilemma. Do we avoid the risk OR let our passion bloom?
Hold ourselves back until we perceive the timing is perfect or embrace the courage needed to pursue our dreams, which we may have believed were unattainable.
There is plenty of time for the flowers to wither away, but while you can, enjoy the essential beauty that THEY hold and WE hold. We may be thorny and prickly, but allowing our colors to shine for however long we are blessed to be on this planet is our gift to those around us.
Photo by Diane M. Dresback
May we all have the resilience of wildflowers—thorns and all. Because in choosing to flourish, we possess unparalleled uniqueness and singular passion and share with the world the most breathtaking vision of all—the beauty of who we are.
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