They’re a small yellow flower that many people call a weed just because they grow where they aren’t supposed to. They are resilient, and adaptable to change. When they become the little white poofs that fill our lawn, children can make wishes on their seeds.
Growing up, dandelions filled the yard of my grandmother's house. My sisters and cousins would run around attempting to find the one with the largest flower, the longest stem, the smallest one, and everything in between. We would make flower crowns, we’d gather bundles of them until our hands were stained green only to put them into a tiny glass in the house.
In elementary school, we would find one or two growing through the cracks in the sidewalk, thriving in conditions that many flowers can not.
You’re probably wondering why I’m telling you about these stupid little flowers. There’s two reasons. This morning, as I started to ponder what exactly I wanted to tell you all, my eyes drifted up to the corkboard sitting on my desk. Over the year it’s started to gather objects- there’s a polaroid or two, a couple school guest stickers, a kind note, and lots of plant stickers. But, in the very corner, there’s a card that says, “There’s no one else on earth like you.”
I’ve looked at that card a million times, but what struck this time was the wilted dandelion hanging above it.
During National Convention, back in October, I was waiting outside the Steak and Shake there in Indy. The day had been long, draining, I just wanted to go to bed. 30 minutes pass, still in line, no food insight. Just when I started to get annoyed I felt a tap on my shoulder. This girl, with a cheetah print shirt and bell bottoms, slides this tiny dandelion into my hair and says, “Those jeans look great on you.”
It took 2 seconds for the whole exchange to be done. I never saw her again.
She took two seconds to do a small act of kindness that she probably didn’t take a second to think about. This little flower that she planned on taking back home for herself, she just gave to some random person on the street because she liked their jeans. But, it changed the trajectory of my entire night. The annoyance that was building because of sleep deprivation and the wait for food started to fade away.
These small acts of kindness can cause change for others. They make bad moments good. They chase away the thoughts that eat away at our head. They create good.
I challenge you to go out and create good. Tell someone they look nice today, pick up some trash, give a thumbs up to someone who looks like they’re struggling. You never know who might need it.
No comments:
Post a Comment