We often adopt an idyllic view of the wildflower as a carefree something – wild, untamed, and beautiful. What is it about wildflowers that many find so intriguing?

I’ve learned a lot about my nature by observing nature. Wildflowers have a lot to teach us, I think. Here’s what I’ve noticed:

#1 Wildflowers bloom where they are planted.

Wildflowers can’t rely on a gardener to pick them up and replant them when the conditions aren’t quite right. They can’t wait for someone to turn them when the sunlight shifts or water them when they’re feeling a bit parched. Wildflowers make it work. Sometimes this means raising your child as a single parent when your partner walks out or learning how to use public transportation when your car breaks down. Wildflowers are resilient, determined, and brave.

#2 Wildflowers epitomize holistic beauty. 

Wildflowers are considered beautiful because their representation, location, and circumstances make them strong enough to command your attention. A single purple flower resting in a cracked pot will not provoke the same feelings as walking barefoot through a field of lavender. The full appreciation of beauty requires a holistic perspective. Wildflowers are beautiful because they are untamed, informal, unique, messy, visually appealing, and solely dependent on God. We are beautiful not only because of our appearance but because of the light in our hearts, special gifts, service, unique stories, and unwavering beliefs.

#3 Wildflowers have needs, too.

We often picture wildflowers as completely independent and carefree. Wildflowers may indeed thrive despite the lack of expensive fertilizers and constant watering, but they still have needs. Certain native plants thrive easily within a large range of conditions and are found in many regions. Other wildflowers require a specific set of conditions and can only grow in certain states. Wild plants sometimes become so accustomed to their current conditions that transplanting them to a cultivated garden proves difficult. I can relate.

We all require constant and militant tending of toxic people, the consistent swatting of negative thought insects, and the intentional and painstaking removal of diseases from our hearts, bodies, and minds. The needs of our physical, emotional, and mental gardens are ever-present. Much like wildflowers, our souls will grow weeds with neglect.

#4 Wildflowers are different. Not better or worse.

Whether wild or cultivated, all flowers have unique preferences, offer different therapeutic and visual benefits, and require individualized care to reach their full potential. Beautifully manicured rows of tulips are no better or worse than a single California wildflower growing near a busy roadway. Comparing or generalizing wildflowers will yield the same poor harvest as comparing or generalizing people. Just don’t do it. Much like flowers, we function at optimal levels within an environment that creates the level of intimacy that comes from being truly known.

We are all different, yet the same. Whether scattered by the wind or placed in the ground by a gardener, all flowers begin as a seed. We all must rely on God to place us where we can be most useful and where He can ensure we are properly cared for.

“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon, in all his splendor, was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you — you of little faith!” Luke 12:27-28 NIV

I will leave you with this video (thanks, Mom!) – I love this song.

CandaceAlikéSmith.com is a wellness and wanderlust journal penned by writer Candace Smith. Read her diary entries, and follow her content on essential oils, product reviews, local libations, and wellness travel. Read her mom’s mental health contributions and get your mind right.

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