Pretty sure the Big Changes a-comin’ will not come easy. Yet am moved to suggest that not only will the revolution not be in English, it might not be in words. It might be/could be as quiet and as powerful as love. William Penn suggested in 1693: “Let us then try what Love will do.” Now, there’s a revolutionary idea!
An example: After I’d read on Facebook that dandelions are a much-needed early-Spring flower vital to bees —so please don’t pick or uproot—I began noticing those sunny flowers—formerly considered pesky weeds— everywhere! Left in peace. Allowed to grow. And flourish. Even on Harvard University’s manicured campus. “Inconceivable!”
I know, I know; right about now you’re saying: “Patricia’s nuts. The inmates run the asylum and hatred is rampant. Love? Faggetaboutit.” (You might be right.)
So let’s unpack that at-first-glance-ridiculously-fey example: For starters, let’s talk about Facebook and game-changing social media. And how new, good ideas like The Dandelion Story get instant play with a simple picture and a slogan. Powerful stuff! And no blood was shed.
The Dandelion Story goes deeper, taproot deeper. Because how many of us as kids spent our suburban Saturdays pulling up those pesky weeds? (Some kids got a nickel for every plant dug up. My parents didn’t roll that way. No, my “reward” was to discover the joy of completing hard, sweaty work! And, when done, how delicious a glass of cold water tasted.) And how many of us, by the second hour or so on our youthful knees, wrestling with those dandelions’ stubborn, deep-in-the-ground taproots, wondered: “Why the heck am I doing this? Because this plant’s fighting me. It wants to live. It has gained my respect! Why, besides the fact that my parents told me to, am I doing this?” (Or something mystical or in-the-moment or At One With The Universe like that.) So how many of us, now knowing what we know about endangered bees and dandelions’ newfound respect and recalling our rebellious yet In Tune With Nature youthful selves can think: “I was right!” More important: How many of us now begin to wonder about other “weeds” we need to look at more appreciatively? Other long-held ideas we haven’t rethought. Other ways Mother Nature is asking us for our respect?
Answer: Enough people to make a revolution!
Dear Patricia,
Hi, there, Patricia, my so, so very For Always dearly special and dearly precious sister and friend who you’re For Always so, so very much!!!!!! Sister, wow, wow, wow, and wow and wow and a zillion wows here!!!!!! Patricia, what a blessing this absolutely fantastic, insightful, inspiring, enlightening, and interestingly informative blog post article this is of yours, my friend!!!!!! Wow, this is just great here, Patricia!!!!! The quote you used for your title to this so, so very cool and empowering writing is just perfect here and just adds to and complements your brilliantly awesome article! The picture which you have featured here is great and very applicable to the very theme of your amazing blog post article, Patricia! I thank-you so, so much for these greatly marvelous and informative links which you have very graciously and generously included with this spectacular blog post article!
Sister, I so love dandelions! I think that dandelions are just so pretty and I love it when then very abundantly dot the ever flowing green carpet of grass, Patricia!!!!! As a little girl and a young girl, I’d blow on dead dandelions along with the other girls who were my friends making wishes as I blew on them. Some of those wishes which I made would even sometimes come true, Patricia!!!!! Patricia, I’m with you here, sisterfriend!!!!! I, too, believe in love and that love and all good are very much indeed possible with the Love and the Good which is our So, So Very Loving and Good Mother and Father Spirit God, sister. Sisterfriend, I’m a dreamer and very, very idealistic. I have such an overflowing love in my very, very heart, and very, very heart, mind, soul, and spirit for our So, So Very Sweet Spirit, and for all of our Good God’s children as my precious sisters and brothers, and my love just keeps me going and keeps me getting up each day and making my way through my very day, my friend. I so, so very much believe in love and have such confidence in people and their very potential for such positive and actual good with my For Always very faith, hope, and positive optimism, Patricia. Sister, I remember as well my younger days in suburban Cleveland in Cleveland Heights, Ohio where I grew up how my mother would hound me and hound me, and pester me and pester me to “pull up all of those dandelions and other weeds,” and then wanting to know “did you make sure to dig really deeply to pull up the root?” 🙂 ! She’d always say to me, “You’re younger than I am. You can do it,” in terms of how she put me to work pulling up the dandelions and the other weeds and how I was more suited to the task because I was younger.
Sister, it is so vitally important and urgently necessary to not pull up these lovely dandelions and the other weeds, and we for certain do need these very special bees to survive and thrive. I so, so very much love and like Facebook and Twitter. These forms and outlets of social media are very much indeed a great way to connect and to be informed and educated on many interesting and fascinating topics, sister. Sister, you have hit the stroke of genius here when you share and declare that persons must consider other “weeds” we need to look at more appreciatively like in re-thinking long-held ideas. Also, sisterfriend you’re so right on in your sharing and declaring that we as a people must ponder on other ways Mother Nature is asking us for our respect. Wow, Patricia, wow here!!!!!! Your analysis on all of this is just absolutely brilliant here, sister!!!!!! Wow, sister, wow-I thank-you so, so much for all of your deeply compelling thoughts here, Patricia!!!!!!
Patricia, please have such a wondrously wonderful Wednesday, rest of your week and weekend, and may all of your very days be so, so very especially blessed!!!!! Wow, I feel just so, so very uplifted and inspired by the very blessing of YOU, sister, and this beautiful writing here, Patricia!!!!!! Yay!!!!! You’re just the very best and the very greatest, Patricia, and I so, so very much appreciate YOU!!!!!!!
Very Warmly and Sincerely For Always, my so, so very For Always dearly precious and dearly special sisterfriend Christian Quaker white woman, Patricia, with Such Peace and Love To You For Always, my sister, and with Such Blessings and Even More Blessings To You For Always, my so, so very dear friend,
Your sisterfriend Christian lesbian black woman For Always in the very spirit and solidarity, Sherry Gordon