Please indulge me a bit with my thinking.  I’ve been so impressed with the breathtaking scenes of this year’s wildflower superblooms, that it opened my eyes to other things that might superbloom in their own way, including people. 

“Superbloom” is a non-technical term that refers to rare episodes of above average wildflower blooms.  According to National Geographic, they happen when seeds that have laid dormant in the soil begin to germinate and blossom all at once.  I love this fact as a great metaphor.  We all have potential inside of us that lays dormant.  We may not have the time, energy, or resources to develop it, or the confidence to express it, but it builds within us, nonetheless, storing up for the right conditions to emerge.  

National Geographic elaborates that superblooms require a few basic ingredients to come to fruition:  months of consistent rain, cool night temperatures, and a well stocked seed bank.  What do people need?  I’m guessing the right combination of social support and mentorship, health, stability, and emotional readiness.  We might also benefit from the structure of a challenge in some form, like a play performance, a deadline for a project, or meeting that special person who inspires you to take a risk.

It makes me smile to think about times in my life I might look back and identify a superbloom period, like getting my doctorate, emerging from heavy grief after my sister’s death, or feeling great contentment in my every day. I can see superbloom episodes for my family, when my brother became a father, and as my children pushed through challenges, whether letting go of the “mean girl” friend or passing a high level exam that had kept them up at night with fears of failure.  Or superblooms for friends as they overcame a devastating divorce or sold a company that they had worked to make successful.  

But like the wildflower superblooms, we have to take time out to appreciate them and step back in awe to gain a full perspective.  And we have to treat the blossoms with care, no stomping or walking all over them for a photo.  Within us, we have to give ourselves permission to acknowledge our progress and celebrate our growth with tenderness.  And for others, we have to show up and “ooh and ahh” to say “I see you blooming” after what most likely required long periods of hard work and resilience.  For just like the wildflowers, human superblooms generally take years in the making. 

I guess the essence of a human superbloom is a period of time when conditions align in just the right way to nurture our inner potential into full expression. And like wildflower superblooms, it’s not a rate of growth we can expect to sustain, as nature and people have their seasons.  But when it happens, you don’t want to miss it, because it is spectacular!

Happy College Graduation, my baby girl!  You’re bloomin’ amazing!