One weekend morning, my husband decided that he was going to spray our yard for weeds. As he explained to our daughters what he would be doing and what would happen as a result, I watched their faces fall. They were devastated because their daddy was going to spray and kill the dandelions. They were weeds, he explained, and they were not good for the garden or the yard.
In response, my three year old exclaimed, “No, Daddy, they are fairies!” My oldest chimed in as well, “But Daddy, they are pretty flowers that we give to Mommy.”
If you’re not totally familiar with the lifecycle of a dandelion, these common yard weeds initially sprout bright yellow flowers, which eventually transform into big white fluffy ball-looking things made up of countless little aerodynamic seeds that are easily caught in the wind to be spread all over the place to start the lifecycle again.
To most individuals, dandelions are considered weeds, not part of a happy yard. But to my children, they were magical and meaningful. As I listened to my daughters plead their case with my husband, my first thought was of all the times I had picked the big fluffy white-ball dandelions with my girls, making wishes and sending off all the “fairies” to fly into the freedom of the sky, destination unknown. A simple activity, it was as magical for me as an adult, doing it with my children, as it was when I was a child myself, lying in the grass, making dandelion wishes.
The second thought I had was how cool it was that this plant inherently goes from being a colorful flower to a hundred flying seeds being spread all over the world. That one little flower could end up planting hundreds of new flowers. What an impact! It reminded me of my favorite starfish story and how just one person can make such a huge difference in the world.
As my thoughts wandered around themes of transformation, perseverance, impact, and perspective, I heard my husband say, “They will come back, trust me.” So resilient, I thought. Kind of like being an entrepreneur (or even just being a humxn today!) and the strength it takes to make it, to survive, and to thrive. Just like our yard full of dandelions, there are countless entrepreneurs out there hoping to burst onto the scene and make an impact. Though all of them have dreams, not all of them make it. Some are mown down by rejection. Others are poisoned by fear and doubt. Still others choose the wrong place to grow and are constantly scrambling to hang on, barely surviving.
But some (dandelions, entrepreneurs, whatever) are tenacious. They overcome, push through, and come back stronger. They don’t let “no” get in the way. They know who they are. They believe in who they are becoming. And they’re totally committed to their purpose and the impact they’re called to make.
Believe me, there’s no weed killer in the world that can stand up to that.
