Monday, May 24, 2010

Advice from a trillium: Go big or go home



I went for a short hike on the Superior Hiking Trail the other day. It was my birthday, and maybe I was feeling contemplative or open to new ideas. Who'd have thought a woodland wildflower would give me advice.

We're past the first flush of those little spring wildflowers like violets, bunchberry or anemone. Those flowers are cute as a button and a wonderful surprise to the spring hiker.

As the trees get all their leaves and the forest floor becomes fully in the shade, flowers and their leaves need to go big. Big leaves bring in more sunlight for photosynthesis. Big flowers attract pollinators.

There aren't many bigger flowers in the North Woods than the Large-Flowered Trillium.

Go big or go home. The Urban Dictionary explains that means, "be extravagant, to go all the way, and do whatever you are doing to its fullest - and not flake out.

It can be even be texted: gbgh!

So now I'm 46 years old. If there's ever a time to go big, it's now.

Watch out world!

Thanks for the advice, you robust wildflower!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow! 46 years! Your not even half way considering medical technology today and a heathly lifestyle. Keep walking on the trails. I believe we all will make 100 years as that is becoming more and more common place. And if you can't hike anymore in your older age you can always watch the waves and count seagulls. Doesn't sound bad.