Lessons from a Dandelion

What is a weed?  It’s just a plant growing somewhere we don’t want it.  In a garden of roses, a sunflower is a weed. 

My childhood lawn was dotted with dandelions, much to my mother’s chagrin.  (I don’t think Daddy cared for them, either.)  But I loved them.  There’s something amiable about their sunshine-colored, many-rayed faces.  And who hasn’t wished on the tufted head of a mature dandelion, believing the wish would be granted if all the seeds could be sent sailing with one puff of breath?

And let’s not forget their hidden virtues. 

Dandelions are masters of survival.  They can take root almost anywhere – in roadsides, construction sites, and even in tiny cracks in a sidewalk.  They live long, go from bud to seed within days, and develop deep roots.  That’s why they’re surprisingly good for your lawn, since their roots loosen and aerate the soil, reduce erosion, and pull nutrients to the surface – actually fertilizing the grass.

Appreciating the everyday

Dandelions have a self-reliance and generosity we can admire.  They don’t need us to take care of them – they can do that for themselves.  They’re lavish with their gifts of food, medicine, and beauty.  They even support our daydreams.

Maybe we’ve been too close-minded about things that appear mundane but are actually miraculous.  Do we stop and pay attention to sunbeams shining through dark clouds?  Italians call them raggi di Dio, “God rays.”  Do we take time to gaze at the moon and stars on a clear night?  It’s amazing that the light from those stars has taken years, decades, or millennia to reach us.

We’re often so focused on chasing the latest and greatest, choosing luxury and excitement, that we forget to appreciate the simpler aspects of life.  One of the most wonderful things about looking for beauty and value in the ordinary is that it’s available almost all of the time.  Unlike an exclusive event or a high-end purchase, this commonplace wonder is just waiting to be noticed.  You might find it in the sound of rain tapping on your window, in a soothing cup of tea, or in your favorite denim jacket.

Gratitude to the rescue

The marvels of everyday life are often obscured by their ordinariness.  As author Jennifer Shoop describes them, they are “dandelions rather than delphiniums, weeds rather than wonder.”  She adds, “It is the work of a grateful heart to rename these things.”

By expressing gratitude for the small daily blessings in our lives, we start changing the way we see the world around us.  By intentionally looking for things to be thankful for, we gradually see more and more that makes us joyful and contented.

In a society that consistently glorifies the extraordinary, it’s important to find happiness in the ordinary.  Those simple, workaday things and experiences are far more common, and they’re what real life is made of.  The majority of life moments aren’t the gold medal events or the highlight reels posted on social media, and if that’s what you crave, you’re going to be bored and disappointed almost every day.

What a sad waste.

When I’m caught up in the rush and pressure of our modern world, I remind myself to slow down and look for the small, simple beauties:  The fresh fruit filling the bowl on the counter.  The clean sheets on my bed.  The ubiquitous scrub jays – assertive, inquisitive, and bright blue.  Messy kisses from my 4-year-old grandson.  My husband’s voice.  And yes – dandelions. Let’s remember that what seems unassuming can be the main attraction.

***

About the Author: Karen Trefzger is a writer, singer, teacher, wife, mother, and grandmother who has been choosing a simpler life for over 20 years. She is the author of several books about minimalism, and blogs at Maximum Gratitude Minimal Stuff.