One of my earliest memories was when I was in preschool at the age of 4. It was May Day and as part of the celebration we transformed cardboard milk containers magically into the most beautiful flower baskets you’ve ever seen. Before our moms came to pick us up that day we filled our baskets full with blooms picked from the millions of dandelions in the backyard of the school. We all left with bunches and bunches of the most fabulous yellow flowers. I’m sure our moms were thrilled.
I’ve always loved dandelions. You have to admit that it’s kinda nice to see that first pop of bright color every spring. And when you come across a whole field of the vibrant yellow flowers, you can’t help but smile! They’re just so cheerful! Oh, and I can’t forget to mention how fun they are when they turn to white puffballs! What kid (and sometimes even adult) doesn’t love to blow the dandelion wisps? I’ve always had the feeling that those tiny seeds carry some sort of magic with them as they take to the wind.
So, yes, I really do enjoy dandelions.
I have to keep my opinion of dandelions rather quiet from my husband though. He puts hours into removing the “weed” from our lawn. He (along with many, many others) absolutely despises dandelions. Where I see them as cheerful and pretty, most see them as a nuisance and are frustrated by their heartiness. They pre-treat early spring, trying to cut the blooms off at the pass. Then, when that’s not successful, they spray each individual plant after they show their ugly head. It’s nearly impossible to stay ahead of them. And then of course, a different line of defense is necessary if they take up residence in your flower garden. Spraying would most definitely kill all the legitimate flowers growing there, so this is when it’s necessary to find that really sharp weed digger tool and dig those little monsters up from the root ball.
So, yes, most people hate dandelions.
Perspective is an amazing thing, isn’t it? An identical object, in this case a dandelion, can be beautiful to one person and a nuisance to another. And so it goes with anything in life: a situation, a circumstance, a daily occurrence. While some may look at them as bad, there are always others who would look at them as good. So what’s the difference? It all comes down to a decision. Because of my own perception, I’ve chosen to like dandelions. And we all have that same power over everything. So today, instead of deciding to dislike the same old things, choose to look at the silver lining, and find something to like instead. You’ll have a better day because of it!
The Soul Sisters
