Like a Dandelion

I’m a wanderer who wonders how to make a journey worthwhile. I bring three things along my travel. I’m thinking on how to be complete and sometimes it would set me into a trap of desperation, but I hold in my heart the belief that storms will pass.

The first thing that I bring is my watch. Time is an important element for it gives me an idea if I’m in a rush, taking slowly or just in time.

There are times when another impatient wanderer would ask me ‘What time is it, lady?’”

I just answer, “Hey, calm down! Maybe you need to look at how the sun glows or smell the freshness of the flower.”

But she doesn’t listen instead she leaves me - still in a hurry.

She’s not the only type of person that I meet. There are also calm walkers who sometimes ignore me because they are busy feeling the air’s coolness. But they don’t bother me much as long as I’m aware where I’m headed to. Thanks to the second thing that I take with me. It’s my compass. It leads me into a place where I could learn or unlearn values and experiences. I could meet different wanderers too and there are specific moments when I could stay longer on that place because I’ve learned to love some friends there. Yet, I would let them go too when my compass directs me into a more productive spot. That’s a sad part of being a wanderer leaving your friends and memories behind, that’s why I bring with me the third most important thing my magic bag.

As I pass by a group of plants along the way, I take out from my bag my watering pot to provide water for the lilies, carnations, orchids and cherry blossoms. These plants tell me that sooner or later they’d bloom gorgeously, and other wanderers will notice the flowers too. Others will take care of the flowers- or ignore them.

Then my clock ticks! It’s time for me to eat.  I get a sandwich from my magic bag. Then one small wanderer asks me, “May I have some of your food?”

 And I would reply, “Ok, get this. I still have one.’”

He smiles at me and I get one sandwich from my magic bag and I sit with him and we enjoy munching the sandwich.

The heat of the sun touches my skin. I feel anger gripping me. I ask myself, ‘Where will this life lead me?’ I have almost everything with me: my watch, compass and magic bag.

Then a blowing wind tells me to surrender everything to the blue skies. “You can’t see me, but I can see you. You can’t feel me at times, but I can feel you always. Just like other wanderers who just walk on this long road, you’re different, because you care.”

“What do you want me to do?” I ask the wind.

“Surrender everything to me.’” the wind answers calmly.

“Is that so? Will this make me complete and my journey worthwhile”?

“Yes. Look at these lovely dandelions, I disperse their seeds and flower head for other wanderers that their wishes may come true, too.”

I confess to the wind, “Every time I pass by this wide park, I always dream of meeting and touching the sky with the help of those dandelions; there’s a possibility that I will also stop wandering and just take a rest with the cottony clouds. From up there, I will just look at down other wanderers, walking aimlessly, not knowing where they are going”’

“That’s it! When you take everything to me- your watch, compass and magic bag-  you’ll be as light as these dandelions. It will be also easy for you to take care of other wanderers and never let them go easily, as you always worry about.” says the wind.

“Ok. Then take everything in me.” I reply to the wind.

Swoosh! In one big blow the wind fulfills what I’ve long dreamed of- to be as light as a dandelion that I may fly and touch the sky, to see the other wanderers soar and drift with the clouds, too, and even play with kites along the way.

But whenever I take my watch from the wind, I notice that I become impatient. Or when I take my compass, I become impulsive or confuse; and when I get my magical bag, I become greedy.

So, I have to be reminded that I’ll be forever like a dandelion.

That gives me liberty.