Celebrate Dandelions and Common Things

In Tune with the Music of Faith

Posted: 20 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT

"Our doctrine is clear; we are to be positive and of good cheer. We emphasize our faith, not our fears. We rejoice in the Lord’s assurance that He will stand by us and give us guidance and direction. The Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts that we have a loving Father in Heaven, whose merciful plan for our redemption will be fulfilled in every aspect because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ."

—Elder Quentin L. Cook, "In Tune with the Music of Faith", General Conference, Apr. 2012
Topics: Faith

This is our lawn (well, it tries to pass itself off as one).  Way out in the fields to the back of this photo you will see white.  These are dandelions.  The fields are a mass of them, so it is a losing battle to try to dig these lovely little flowers out of the lawn

I proclaim today Celebrate Dandelion Day!  If you can’t beat ‘um, join ‘um.

Sometimes the more common, insignificant things in the world are ignored and unappreciated.  Take dandelions, for instance, most people hate them.  They claim their lawns are ruined by them and they rage a constant war to eradicate them.  Forget that.  It’s a battle that shall not be won.

Actually, I’m quite impressed with these dandy little flowers called Dandelions.  I'll need to research from wenst the name originated.  They brighten up the green in the lawn with their sunny yellow, until they turn into fairy balls children love to blow into the wind.  They never let their tops being cut off dampen their spirits.   In fact, if you cut them off when they have poofy white heads, they’ll do you the honor of multiplying more quickly.  Not only that, the greens are good in salads and soups.  Ask anyone who survived the great depression.

Think about some people who seem like dandelions.  They may seem quite common and even annoying, but if you get to know them you may discover wisdom and beauty you previously didn’t appreciate.  No matter what the world has dealt them by way of short changes or challenges, they seem to bob along surviving and even flourishing.  They often have special ways of brightening up their little corners of the world.  There’s a thing or two to be learned from the common folks.

Grow babies, grow

I think it’s the common that really rule the world.  The exceptional makes a splash, but the common is the current that ebbs and flows throughout, around, under, over, and in between everything everywhere.  Praise the common!  Celebrate normalcy!  Dance through a field of dandelions and let them tickle your toes.  Dandelions arise and be joyful of ordinary lives!

It looks like they need no encouragement to grow where they are not wanted.  Yes, all the white in the fields in the back of our house are also dandelions.  We are the dandelion capitol of the world--I think.  Only one question, why is it they don't grow in our back yard with the other weeds?  They seem to prefer cultivated fields and lawns where people are trying NOT to grow them.  I'm putting up a sign so they know they are totally invited to grow in the back yard to their little warped hearts' content.