Comparing Writers to Wildflowers
It is recommended to plant wildflower seeds in October to get a jump on spring blooms. I ordered a one-pound bag of part-shade wildflower seeds for a hill that receives only morning sun. This weekend, I reached into the bag and tossed handfuls of seed varieties, which scattered onto the ground amongst dried fern stems. I then sprinkled soil on top and mulched them with fall leaves, a winter blanket.
Have you walked through the woods and accidentally stepped on a wildflower? A quick turn of your head to check on the damage, you notice its ability to bounce back. Wildflowers recover. So must writers bounce back to persevere through creative blocks and distractions, and to overcome rejections. Writers like Wildflowers need to be resilient.
The seeds I dispersed will be nourished by snow, warmed by spring, and bloom from summer through fall. Much like wildflower seeds, the words I write are scattered on the pages like the seeds on our hill. They are a blend of nouns, verbs, and adjectives, as well as unformed paragraphs and sentences. It takes a while for ideas to bloom and evolve, so I write and rewrite. I learn to grow through revisions, and like the seeds I planted, I also need to wait for the completed work to flourish on its own. Writers like Wildflowers need to thrive.
Maya Angelou wrote, “You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” That is encouraging for me. It reminds me of the plentiful burst of color in spring, the anticipation of summer blooms, and shows God’s creativity is unending. Planning projects in fall, and feeling more creative in winter when there are fewer distractions and more time to write (and do art). I have discovered that even in our climate, annuals manage to reseed and bloom in new places. Perennials are expected to repeat their performance and become prolific year after year. Writers like wildflowers need to be creative.
Wildflowers are more drought-tolerant than cultivated gardens. What does drought look like for a writer? For me, it means doubt in four words: Is it worth it? According to an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (2023), a fascinating fact about wildflowers is that they have deep tap roots that reach for moisture; even if they look parched, the plants are still alive underground. Writers like Wildflowers need to be drought-tolerant, for we experience those seasons too. My spiritual tap-root needs replenishing in faith.
In Mary Oliver’s poetry collection, Blue Horses, she wrote, “It must be a great disappointment to God if we are not dazzled at least ten times a day.”
Writers like Wildflowers share words and petals that blend to create an expression; learn to be resilient; show a variety of work; and bring the ordinary to life through observation and attention to detail. We are to be “dazzled” by the beauty we see, share profound tragedies of life's seasons, and reflect on the historical significance of time passing.
Do you have a favorite writer or wildflower? Please feel free to share your comments below.
