June 3, 2014 - Dandelion Tales

Of all the things living in this world, I would have to say that the dandelion is the most resilient.  No single plant is held in more disdain.  No single flower receives more disparaging glances.  Chemicals are poured on it.  Torches burn it.  Hands claw at it and pull it from its home.  Yet everywhere you look, the ubiquitous dandelion remains--unaffected, unscathed, and not remotely concerned.  The noble dandelion does not care what we think of it because it knows better.  It shines brilliantly like a tiny little sun in its own solar system, decidedly unfazed by our remarks.  The dandelion does not ask permission to grow; its confidence comes from within.  And it's a good thing, too, as it is surrounded by negativity.  Yet you would never know by looking at it, and it makes no sense when you consider all the gifts it has freely given.

Search your heart.  In early to mid-spring when you are hungry for growth and life after a long winter, there is nothing quite like driving by a green field completely peppered with brilliant dandelions.  Can you deny that a smile comes to your face?  Can you deny your soft intake of breath with a relaxed sigh?  Can you deny the feeling, if only for a fleeting moment, that all is well in the world and everything is as it should be?  All those brilliant, tiny, little suns shining their warmth and energy at you, asking nothing in return.  Search your childhood memories.  The dandelions are everywhere you look within, smiling at you as you played ball with your friends, giggling when you sneaked into a field for your first kiss, washing the landscape of your best days and creating memories that will always be there to lift you up in your time of need. 

And this is all done so casually, as if the dandelion didn't have a care in the world, which of course, it doesn't.