Feeling Dandy!

The girls came bursting through the front door a few days ago

with handfuls of dandelions that they had picked for me

at the neighborhood park.

They were so excited to hand me

their treasured bouquets.

I "oooohed and ahhhed" with them over their gift.

I snapped some photos of Bren and her friend

and the evidence of Spring

that they held in their

excited little fists.

But later I got to thinking about the dandelion plant.

Who would think that these bright yellow flowers

were considered weeds and that many a homeowner

had waged war against them?

They are so pretty!

Raising their sunny faces to the blue Spring sky,

these flowers are enchanting to those who

enjoy their distinctive pop of color after a very grey winter.

Soon these blooms will give way to white puff balls,
laden with feathery winged seeds.

More magic and giggles can be found then!
How fun it is to watch the seeds take flight
on your own breath!



It is in this joy, that the dandelion weed is spread.
And boy does it spread!
With the help of the spring time breeze
{and the huffs and puffs of many enchanted little ones}
a few dandelion plants can be transformed
to take over an entire neighborhood!


What if we thought of our actions as being like
the seeds of the dandelion plant.
Whirling and swirling throughout our days,
weeks and months
the seeds of our actions ascending.
Their flight taking affect even farther than we can imagine.
What if we stopped waging war against
the seeds of physical human connectedness?
Against the seeds of feeling out of our own comfort zone?
Against reaching out and being available to someone else?
Maybe even someone a bit undesireable?
In a world of instant connectedness through
facebook, twitter and texting,
why is it that we are still so disconnected
in deeper ways?





One little act of kindness.
One encouraging conversation.
One sincere smile.
One sympathetic hug.
One unsolicited act of assistance.
One gesture of selflessness.
Taking flight, implanting in one soul
and growing there
until a blossom forms and
the process is begun again.


What if it started with me.
With you.
What if you had the power to change
the place where you live?
Your home.
Your town.
Just by simply treating others
with the same kindness that you would
want to be treated with?
Going beyond the expected
and doing the unexpected.


And what if that simple attitude
took flight and grew?
What if that attitude spread like
dandelions in your world?
Wouldn't you want to live in a place like that?
I sure would!
So what do you say?
Are you feeling Dandy?