My Blooming Dandelions

I subscribe to a weekly newsletter from HouseofOrder.com (it's in my favorite links). Today there was a very nice message about gratitude so I thought that I would include it here today, the day before Thanksgiving.

Dear House of Order Friends:

I had to wait by the side of the highway for several minutes yesterday to catch a ride. . . And there, at my feet, was a dandelion, a bright, yellow, smiling (or so it seemed to me) dandelion. Autumn has lingered longer than usual where I live and that little dandelion was growing so close to the ground because there has been no time for a long stem and while the sun is warm during the days, the frost chills to the bone every night. I wondered as I waited and realized I’m usually too much in a hurry to notice much about my surroundings.

Are there other dandelions still in my yard? Are the solitary bees still out and about in my garden? Are there imprints of fallen leaves on my sidewalks from last week’s rain? Usually I do not know because I do not see. I’m just in such a hurry.

Go here, be there. “Run, quickly now, or we will be late” is the mode of my life. But yesterday’s dandelion said to me, “Slow down, Marie. I’m blooming right here at your feet to help you remember that being in a hurry and being grateful cannot co-exist. You must stop, or at least slow down a bit, to see and hear and feel gratitude. It is impossible to appreciate while moving too fast through life, space, and time. Be still…”

So this Thursday, in the midst of fixing meals for my family, watching football, and hugging people I love, cleaning up from the meals, and putting leftovers in the frig, I am going to look for “blooming dandelions” in my life.

After reading it this morning I came up with a very short list of some of my own blooming dandelions.

1) Crayons (I have a collection of pictures that my children have drawn from me that are sitting at my computer.)
2) A new toilet paper holder (long story)
3) The building Inspector (He is looking over our basement as I type this, which means it's getting closer!)
4) Piano music
5) The Internet - especially email.
6) Books!!
7) Sunshine in the window
8) Our fenced in backyard
9) 2x4's (The kids have been making lots of fun things with the pieces the framers left.)
10) The garage door (When I hear it going up it means that Dennis is home.)