Dandelion Dreams

“What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again.”

~Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

Do you remember when you were young in the summer, captivated by the fluffy dandelion? There was magic inside! So many wishes to make and send into the wind! One deep inhale in, puff the cheeks, and blow all those glorious magic wishes up into the sky!

Now, as an adult, all I see are weeds, incessant reminders that some things just don’t go away. Magically they just reappear with their yellow heads the very next day, smiling at you. I consider myself a mild-mannered lady, but these yellow puff heads bring out the street-cussin’-punk teenager in me!

I realized something yesterday as I spent hours (yes, hours!!) weeding my garden.  I had neglected my garden for “more important” things.  I learn a lot from working in my garden because it is kind of like life. Like a garden, in life you have to water, nurture and care for things in order for things to grow and flourish. If you neglect just a portion, weeds spring up making you a tangled mess.

Weeds are life’s emotions you haven’t completely dealt with yet. Just when you think you have moved through a certain situation, up pops a weed or unexpected emotion that makes you stop, think, and wonder “Where the Hell did THAT come from?!” (yep, street cussin’ time!)

I have made a new agreement with the dandelions: I will say thank you to them for bringing me a little sunshine and learn to make wishes again from their blooms. I send my dreams out into the wind now with Mina, let them settle where they may.

As I sat last night around 1 AM on my steps, looking out across my garden {now free of weeds}, I remembered what I had noticed during the day.

• Sometimes you need to dig in and get your nails dirty in order to work something out.
• Only when you get up close and personal, do you see the beauty hidden in the underbrush …. I had found a family of praying mantis’s and teeny babies.
• Taking time to attend to your weeds, clear your space, creates calm and peacefulness.

This weekend, when you are out walking around and you notice a white puff-head dandelion, take a moment to reconnect with that magical child you once were, take big breath {don’t forget to puff your cheeks!} and blow out your wishes and dreams. We shouldn’t ever be too old to make wishes on dandelions!