"Let the world
have its way with you,
luminous as it is
with mystery
and pain-
graced as it is
with the ordinary."
~Mary Oliver, excerpt, Summer Morning

We have a magical outpouring in our back yard. Under the shade of the magnificent black walnut trees whose roots often keep anything from growing to its fullness, are the sweetest wildflowers. Over the years we have planted so many things that have not flourished and yet each year we give it another try. My husband, fueled by hope, spread one of those premixed bags of seeds under the trees in early spring. And now we are seeing the fruits of his labor. Somehow the poison of the roots of the tree held no power over the wildness of these prairie flowers. Miniature poppies bloom a salmon color while cornflowers burst their blueness against the summer green.(Is there any color like that blue?) And there are countless others whose names I don't know but can only be described as simple, sweet, perfect.

I could spend all day looking at these simple gifts of nature. None are showy like most of the flowers we planted that aren't labeled as 'wild'. The wildflowers are content to be the backdrop. They do not need to be the main attraction. In some ways it turns the word 'wild' upside down, doesn't it?

Looking at these sweet, simple, ordinary blossoms, I think of all the people I know who go through their lives like wildflowers. They bloom where it seems impossible, shining forth color where its most needed, being wild in situations or places where it's unexpected. These people work quietly behind the scenes, caring for children, washing dishes, holding the hand of someone in pain. They are not the lead in the play. Instead they add the quiet burst of color to an otherwise dreary palette in any ordinary day.

Who are the wildflowers in your life? Who quietly brings a smile to your face when you encounter them? Whose presence adds just the right dash of color to your life?  A summer day like this one might provide the perfect opportunity to take note of those wildflowers blooming all around us. It might be the perfect day to notice them, perhaps even thank them, for the gift they are in your life. Even wildflowers need a bit of nurture and care now and then.