Resilience!
Humans are very resilient! Don’t believe me? Look back on your life to all the obstacles, calamities, losses, and disappointments that have occurred. And yet, you overcame them.
You survived, and you thrived despite all that.
Writing my book “My Backpack Was My Home” made me aware of my own resilience. Time and time again, I had to look travesty in the eye and kept going.
Recently, I had another opportunity to reflect on my resilience.
Two weeks ago, our family gathered in a cemetery to place my brother-in-law’s ashes beside my sister and my niece. It was a beautiful sunny day as we stood together, reminiscing. There were laughter, tears, hugs and lots of love.
As we were wrapping up, I asked to share something as I had a flash of insight. I became acutely aware of my journey since arriving back in Canada thirteen years ago.
This is what came to me. Thirteen years ago, when I came back to Canada, I looked forward to many more years with my dad and siblings. I envisioned family get-togethers, holiday celebrations, and an opportunity to be with each one.
Alas, that was not to be! In these thirteen years, I lost my dad, three sisters and three brothers-in-law. I acknowledged my deep sadness and how challenging it has been for me.
However, the grief I was feeling went much deeper. I felt the unleashing of a lifetime of grief, not only the departing of many members of my extended family but also the accumulation of grief that I held inside from seeing so much injustice in the world.
I looked at the group and expressed my gratitude and love to all those gathered. I thanked them for keeping the family together and expressed how much each of them means to me and how much I love them.
Over the next couple of days, as I sat with my grief, I realized that my brother and I had become elders to my nieces and nephews, even though we aren’t that much older. Once again, I became aware of my resilience. My ability to face the storm and rise above it.
With hindsight, I am grateful for this insight and the time I needed to sit with the waves of grief that flowed through me. There was a time in my life when I would have resisted the feelings and found ways to distract myself. On the third morning, I woke up feeling lighter and once more ready for the next steps forward.
You, too, have the ability to face whatever arises. You have an inner strength that helps you stand up and keep going. Within you, you have everything you need to survive and thrive. Never doubt it!
I am sharing the information below about the mighty dandelion because I feel we are like this most misunderstood flower. Just like the dandelion, every part of our being has a purpose.
The Dandelion
The dandelion is the only flower that represents the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon, and stars: The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moons, and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.
The dandelion flower opens to greet the morning and closes in the evening to go to sleep.
Every part of the dandelion is useful: root, leaves, flower. It can be used for food, medicine, and dye for colouring.
Up until the 1800s, people would pull grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions and other useful “weeds” like chickweed, malva and chamomile.
The name dandelion is taken from the French word “dent de lion,” meaning lion’s tooth, referring to the coarsely-toothed leaves.
Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant.
Dandelion seeds are often transported away by a gust of wind, and they travel like tiny parachutes. Seeds are often carried as many as five miles from their origin!
Birds, insects, and butterflies consume nectar or seeds of dandelion.
Honey from bees pollinating dandelions is quite delicious.
Dandelion flowers do not need to be pollinated to form seeds.
Roots of dandelion can be used as a substitute for coffee.
Dandelion is used in folk medicine to treat infections and liver disorders. Tea made from the dandelion acts as a diuretic.
If you know dandelions, they’ll grow shorter stalks to spite you.
Dandelions are, quite possibly, the most successful plants that exist. They are masters of survival worldwide.
Borrowed from Serendipity Corner on Facebook
You, too, are a master of survival.
With love, joy and gratitude,
Carolynne