It’s late summer. School is back in session. Our grand baby arrived late, but just like a beautiful bloom--worth the wait. Looking out across our yard in this late summer, I was a bit surprised to see dandelions coming back into color and peering at me over the clover. We have one of those ‘natural’ yards that’s good for the birds and the bees and the butterflies but probably wouldn’t win any HOA awards.
Iconically, dandelions are usually our first flowers to bloom in early spring— long before tulips or daffodils. As aforementioned, we have that kind of yard. But by late summer, we’ve mowed over the dandelions enough times that they are afraid to bloom again. They know their place. And it’s not in the neighbor's yard either— who sprays for such ‘weeds’. Unsurprisingly, our weed whacker and sharpened lawnmower blades rarely intimidate. In the heat of this August, the dandelions drew said courage and grew back up in all of the seemingly wrong places.
I like dandelions! I love little ones gathering fistfuls of them to present as a cheerful gift. They are happy little flowers and the one time I saw an untouched field of them, I was stunned by their beauty. They remind me of a defiant soul labeled a weed (not even given the curtesy to be called a wildflower), who blooms to the rest of the world shouting, "I am flower! Strong and true!" Not only defiant, they are faithful, tenacious, and stubborn— willing to bloom at season’s end; giving little bits of hope peppered across my yard.
My husband sometimes fusses about them. Often, we’d both rather the unstained view of a perfectly manicured lawn free from anything but Round Up and lush green grass. Yet,
we’ve learned to be grateful. The One True Lesson through the ages - "In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
We have learned to see the flowers instead of the weeds.
With this backdrop, I mused about all the things in my life I consider weeds. Maybe I should be seeing them as flowers with lion's manes offering me hope, courage, prosperity and a new beginning. Maybe I need to emulate the little scruffy bud in my healing from abuse. Maybe I need to push up against the hard ground and muggy heat and flower again. Maybe when others peer at my unkempt soul, I need to marvel at its beauty instead. Maybe, just maybe, we are the lucky ones-- to see dandelions in August.
Dandelions
How lucky are we
That we get to see
Dandelions,
In August
How sad they must be
Yards only green
Missing the dandelions,
In August.
Bright patches of yellow
Disguising as hope
The fruit of childhood’s
Wishes
When we look at our yard
All battered and scarred
Some may see weeds —
Or venomous bees
But how lucky are we
That we get to see
Dandelions,
In August.
11am
13 August 2021
I did a little bit of research on dandelions and found out so many interesting tidbits. They have been traditionally highly prized around the world and only in modern times considered a weed. As well, their meaning has every bit to do with a survivor mindset and finding your voice after abuse. I am not given to getting a tattoo, but if I did--it might just be a dandelion. Below, you can explore too. My wish for you--a yard full of dandelions! My wish for you--that you would see the flowers instead of the weeds.
