Looking For Wildflowers

My wife and I went out the other day in search of blooming wildflowers along back roads and in locations where we had seen them in previous years. Memories of brilliant yellow flowers, like a blanket thrown over the field, caused us to happily anticipate this year’s stunning beauty. When the drive was done, we agreed that we had found more disappointment than dazzling displays of natural beauty. A cluster of blue Lupines sprang up here and there, but even they looked weak and missing their deep blue shine.
All in all, it was a pleasant drive but we missed the desert colors.

That’s not all we missed.

In our determination to find exactly what we looked for, we forgot to notice the striking pink sky that announced sunset, or the sounds of coyotes singing in the distance, or the crisp evening air that wrapped itself around us. The mountains in evening light, the graceful twists and turns of this quiet, two lane highway, the majestic saguaros fading into the approaching darkness…all there. To be focused on the end goal is fine, but don’t miss the reality of the moment. We went searching for wild flowers, and we found a few. I wish now I had paid more attention to the Cactus Wren’s song.