Recently, I stopped to admire this magnificent Dandelion. I
was staring at her smiling and friendly presence,
when in the silence of the moment, she began telling me her story…
Her ancestors landed in America, a little over 400 years ago. They came from Europe and were highly regarded for their healing and nutritional qualities. When they began to spread across the US, they were welcomed and honored for the many nutrients stored in their leaves, flowers, and roots.
As time went on, the 20th Century popularized ideas that caused the tides to turn against the Dandelion. Fast foods and suburban green lawns were now the New American Dream, and this dream had no place for a fast spreading yellow headed flower. These new trends stripped the Dandelion of both her dignity and purpose, and before long she was degraded into the category of WEEDS! To make matters worse, the chemical industry started advertising “ Weed Killers” and now thousands of American homeowners declared chemical warfare against this innocent flower.
The story of the Dandelion gave me a lot to think about. Her sad but true experience, reminded me of the power and impact of societal trends. It exemplifies the power that unquestioned beliefs can have over our behaviors. Her fall from grace, reminded me of the consequences that occur when man forgets the interconnectedness of life, and regards one form of creation to be more valuable than another.
Pondering how I could personally become more conscious about appreciating and respecting all embodiments of life, I recalled one of my favorite teachings from Buddhism, “Respect all forms of life as the Buddha, and revere them as your teachers. All forms of life have the exact same Buddha nature, so you should respect them just as you respect the Buddha.”
In closing, I am attaching a video about the Life of Dandelions. Each time I watch it, I am left with a sense of wonder and awe!
I hope that you enjoy it!