Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Dandelion Musings

For thirty years, I've looked forward to dandelion bouquets in the spring.  Since Bre gifted me with the first bouquet, there has always been another young one to bring them home.

I'm not sure I totally appreciated those first bouquets. Along the way, I realized how quickly those little gift givers grow up....and I began to LOVE and look forward to them each spring/summer.

I bought a special vase to showcase them. 😊Stacia is our baby and I cherished each bouquet.

Stacia is quite old enough to KNOW  dandelions are not  only the wildflower I love to receive, but are, in fact, weeds. She's known this for 5 or 6 years, BUT, she continued to love to give them, and I loved to received them.

I knew last summer may be the very last summer for her to gift me with a bouquet. She is 11 and 3/4 now...and for the first time last year, when she gave a little bouquet to a loved one she was told they were "Not really flowers, but just weeds." I know the words weren't meant to be hurtful, but they did cause a hurt in her heart. I knew she would have to decide to be brave enough to offer them again....and so I watched the season come and go - and was a bit sad at the fact that this year I had no dandelion bouquets.....after 30 years I had run out of kids young enough to pick them and bring them to me.

I was most grieved Stacia's giving heart had been bruised and I purposed to talk with her about it when the moment was right.

As we walked yesterday, she picked this, I barely breathed as I watched to see what she would do. She said, "Mom, I'd like you to have this wishing weed."  I loved it. She trusted me with her gift. She pointed out they are so big up here you get more than one wish with them. I blew and blew....and then she joined me. I was happy to get my dandelion; a special moment I had always enjoyed with Stacia. I was excited to see she overcame the fear her gift would be rejected. I was worried she'd let that comment be the last bouquet she gave.

I confessed to her I'd been a bit sad not to get any dandelion bouquets this year. She told me she had decided to give them to me this year and will teach Bella to get them next year, and then with all the grands,  I should always have dandelion bouquets...if I don't tell the grands they are weeds. (I never have).

I won't.

I promised never to tell a grandchild their dandelion gifts are really, "just weeds."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aaawwww! I think she told me there is a certain color leaf you like too�� �� she pays attention to these things❤
Bre :D

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

I have some very thoughtful children. I can't remember these things for myself let alone each person. LOL