Are you a negative weed or a dandelion with opportunities?

“I was a dandelion puff...Some saw the beauty in me and stooped quietly to admire my innocence. Others saw the potential of what I could do for them, so they uprooted me, seeking to shape me around their needs. They blew at my head, scattering my hair from the roots, changing me to suit them. Yet still, others saw me as something that was unworthy and needed to be erased.” ― Nicole Bailey-Williams

I swear that overnight some little fairy got a little ambitious in our yard with dandelion dust. If you drive by my house today, you’d think that we were growing a field of dandelions where our grass used to grow. When my kids saw the little puffs of white and gold, they got so excited, you would have sworn they really found gold. While at first, I thought it was cute, I still secretly wished for that perfectly green, weed-free lawn that you see in movies and magazines.

Running around outside picking a bunch of dandelions for kids sounds fun, but as a true mom, I wince at the thought of the clean-up process afterward. Taking photographs and admiring the simple beauty of them gives my artistic side a moment of giddiness, but the homeowner side of me is thinking of ways to get rid of them. Generally speaking, I try to support my kids’ imagination because once you become an adult, practicality kicks in and suddenly responsibilities outweigh the “fun”.

Responsible adults tend to care more about the principle of the matter versus the frivolous purposes of something. A weed is a weed and it needs to be removed and that’s where the focus should be. Why would anyone want to save or admire a dandelion? In a time that medicine or supplies were limited, people got creative with the resources that were available. Dandelions were once used for medicinal purposes to help with a variety of ailments such as warts to curing scurvy. Studies have shown that they are actually very nutritious and can be used in teas, used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute, and a natural diuretic. Ever heard of dandelion wine?

Dandelions really don’t matter, but your outlook and attitude towards life does. Whether you are a practical thinker or a dreamer, you see a subject and look for the purpose. Is it something that motivates you, reflects your life or frustrates you? What level of importance have you attached to the topic? Whether you intend to or not, your opinions and attitude spread to others like those little seeds on a puff of a dandelion. Are you going to disperse beauty and admiration or scatter frustration to an already negative world? Are you willing to use the resources available to you to help heal and motivate others? Or would you rather see a weed as a weed that taints your “perfect” lawn?

Appreciate the world that has been given to us, take pride in who you are and what you have to offer, and do your best to spread kindness to others.