My Dandelion Philosophy

how many of us have picked up a dandelion and blown the dried seeds?  once the seeds have turned from their bright yellow color to the white/grey wisps, with one big breath we can send their seeds out into the air. (seeds are often carried as far as 5 miles from their origin!)  this can be a beautiful sight.  i think it’s magical.  

many people blow these seeds hoping for a wish to come true, just like they would blow out a candle on their birthday cake.  i have always believed that my wish would come true if i was lucky enough to successfully empty off all the dandelion seeds in one breath.  if i failed to do so, i might not have as much luck with my wish coming true.

with each seed that is blown into the air, it eventually lands somewhere and begins to grow another dandelion plant.  this is how the dandelions procreate; without their flowers turning into seeds and blowing to another location, they would not continue to grow.  

i relate this to life; i relate this theory to my life.  i look at my own journey as a dandelion seed that has blown in, planted its roots in someone’s nice lawn and i’ve started to grow into a bright and beautiful yellow flower.  some of my neighbors may view me as a weed, and that’s ok because even weeds can be a beautiful plant in the right kind of environment.  as a dandelion, i live out my days in a tight, safe bud then slowly open in the warm sunshine.  a dandelion opens to greet the morning and closes up tight to sleep at night.  dandelions flower in the winter when everything else is cold and dead.  dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant.  as i age, my seeds turn from a bold yellow to a willowy, grey flower.  with a strong wind or big breath, my seeds will blow away.  then land somewhere else to start all over again.  my seeds, in the literal sense are my children and my family.  they are my legacy.  but my seeds could also be other relationships i have, my job, hobbies, even every day interactions with passersby - good and bad.  my seeds could be an impression i’ve made after meeting someone for the first and only time. (i hope it was a good impression-fingers crossed.)  most recently, i like to think of my passion for photography as a seed.  i hope the pictures i’ve taken for friends plant the seed and touch them deeply.  each moment in our little lives go by so quickly, it’s impossible to stop time.  i feel like photographing my children, my family and my friends help me hold onto that moment. instead of watching it slip away, i can always go back to that moment and revisit it.  each memory is a seed blowing into the next yard to plant another flower. i like to think all of my seeds are going to be flowers.  beautiful flowers that your gardener won’t ever want to rid your lawn of.  

dandelions are rich in symbolism.  their ability to thrive under adverse conditions make me think of persistence and survival.   the ability to regenerate from our roots is a gift i intend to pass along to my children and foster in our family's home.  the seeds' journey once it's left the safety of the yellow flower symbolizes letting go and starting something new.  i can relate to all of these on many levels.  i think we all can.

Dandelion

With each springs white top.

Shaken off by hands unseen.
Wanders by each lofty lonely face.
Places it is wind it needs to show.
I float across each leaf, it's breath.
Beside still waters shy and still.
Willows branch they hang in grace.
With a gentle sigh they hold out light,
and lay me gently down to grow.

                             ~author unknown