The Dandelion and the Wind
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By Carolyn L. Primm
God looked down on his creation and said, “I will add a drop of sunshine onto the earth.” That said, He created the dandelion. The dandelion soon attracted the attention of bees and birds and other flying things. Humans, too, noticed the dandelion’s brilliant yellow hue, and smiled at its presence. Unfortunately, all this admiration went to the dandelion’s head.
“I am important!” the Dandelion boasted. “Others find me attractive.”
With that, the dandelion puffed herself up. She stretched up, long and tall, and her once beautiful head became a giant puff ball.
The wind was not impressed. He decided to teach the dandelion a lesson.
“Dandelion’s beauty has gone to her head! Let’s see how long her beauty lasts when she faces a challenge!” And, with that, the wind gave a quick and calculated puff. Off flew the dandelions fluffy hair. All her lofty ideas scattered with the wind. This produced more dandelions; each one as arrogant as the first. It was just a matter of time before their heads became as full of nothing as that of the first dandelion.
“The wind is no match for me,” the now, pin-headed dandelion bragged. “I will use my sawblade foliage to frighten the wind away!”
The wind chuckled, “The dandelion thinks she can frighten me with her foliage?” Ignoring her boast, the wind sauntered off, whistling a merry tune, which, though unintended, caused the dandelion to sway helplessly in the whistle’s breeze.
“How dare the wind think that it can mess with me!” yelled the dandelion. “I will show him! I will dig in and stand strong!” With that, the dandelion reached deep, deep into the soil with her one long arm, and held onto the ground with all her might. Though she had only one arm, that arm held on tenaciously. Popping her head out of the soil, the dandelion once again displayed her golden crown. “I am beautiful and important!” she shouted to the world. Those around her were not impressed. Turning their backs, they mumbled, “The dandelion has become proud. Her outer beauty may last briefly, but, then, what is she? Her airy ideas appear attractive at first, but soon they are exposed for the nothingness they are. Then, there she stands, a tall naked nuisance.
The dandelion overheard their talk, and her head drooped dejectedly, “The others are right in their assessment. I cannot take credit for my beauty. It is a gift from God’s good heart. My airy ideas do not last. They serve only to create other dandelions who are as shallow as I am. What is the purpose of me, or my beauty? My life makes no difference.”
The wind saw the poor, dejected dandelion. “Nothing God created is without beauty and purpose.” he said. So, the wind devised a plan, a plan which continues to this day. The wind whispers into the ear of a child to gather dandelions while their heads are yellow with sunshine. Then, when the child holds the dandelion bouquet up to his mother’s face, the dandelion can clearly see the purpose for which she was created.