Dawn Phelps
Columnist
In June of 2009 four of my sisters and our husbands drove to Alaska, traveling the ALCAN Highway through Canada, a 1,700 stretch of road from the U.S. to Alaska. We drove long days on mountainous, winding roads, over roads with rough patches from the freezing and thawing of sub-zero winter temperatures.
We drove above the timberline. We drove in the rain. It was a long hard trip, but it also had its rewards. What a thrill it was to see mountain goats and mountain sheep up close!
We saw baby bears with their mothers. Once when we stopped to take pictures from the car of a mother bear with her twin cubs, the mother bear threatenedly ran toward our car. She was fast! (Black bears can run up to 30 miles per hour—faster than a man can run.)
When we saw her charging toward our car, I was afraid and cried out to Tom to “Go, go!” as I frantically rolled up my window. Our car moved forward just as the mother bear reached the edge of the blacktop—we were safe!
But one of the most remarkable things about the high country of Canada was the dandelions. At first, we were not sure what we were seeing! The tall, bright yellow flowers resembled dandelions, but it was difficult to believe that they were! They were so tall and so big—growing in such unlikely places as they reached for the sun!
But they were dandelions—the tallest, most beautiful dandelions we had ever seen, at least 12 inches tall and taller! If there had been no dandelions, there would have been no flowers or bright colors at all in that cool, thin air.
They were growing in patches, above the tree line, surrounded by dry, rocky land where there was little other vegetation—where the winters reach forty below. Right there at the top of the world the dandelions provided splotches of bright yellow color as they stood proud and strong!
The dandelions were a bright sight to see in contrast to the dry, barren, brown mountainside! They had survived where no other flowers were growing! If it were not for them, there would have no color, no “flowers” high in the mountains!
After that trip through Canada, I have not looked at dandelions in the same way. I used to only think of them as pesky weeds that mar the beauty of a freshly mowed lawn as their fluffy heads replace their yellow blooms. But now I have new admiration for the lowly dandelion. They are resilient; they can add beauty!
Dandelions which are related to sunflowers are tenacious, and their bright flowers are pleasing to the eyes of young children. They provide intrigue and entertainment for small children who pick little bouquets for their moms or blow away their fuzzy white heads after they have bloomed and gone to seeds.
But dandelions have other valuable uses. They sometimes provide the first food for honeybees. All parts of the dandelion are edible and contain Vitamins K and A. They can be eaten in salads or cooked as greens.
During wars when food was scarce, dandelions were used as food, and the roots can be used to make tea or coffee. And people in concentration camps were known to reach through the fence and pick dandelions to help them stay alive. And birds like to munch on the seeds.
Even though we may not appreciate the appearance of dandelions in our yards, they can still contribute to the world in unique ways and situations. Similarly, there are ways that any of us can contribute to the world around us as well.
So be tenacious and add some color to the world! Be deliberate as you sink your roots deep into life. Every day is a gift, so look for ways to contribute to the good of others. Like those dandelions in Canada, regardless of your age and circumstances, you too can add beauty to those around you!
So, stand tall as you share kindness with others while you reach toward the sun!
