Well, tomorrow is my birthday. And although tomorrow is not promised to any of us, if I wake up to greet another day then I will be fifty-eight years old. I did the math. It’s true. It feels strange to write that. The fifty-eight part.
I actually took a minute thinking about what I want for the special day.
I do not want cake. And I do not need candles to make wishes.
My preferred method of making wishes is blowing on dandelions that have gone to seed.
A month or so ago, I was chatting with the groundskeeper on the front lawn of a local church where I volunteer. Small world. His late Uncle was my English teacher in high school.
In the midst of the conversation I crouched down, plucked a dandelion and made my wishes. And in the process, most likely made this guy’s future work a bit more difficult by spreading more weeds.
He laughed and said, “I just knew you were going to do that.”
Now, I didn’t even know I was going to do that.
But I do it often.
When I visit my father’s grave there is always an errant dandelion.
I could look at it like, “Mary, you need to do a better job of tending this area.”
Or like I actually do, “This is a moment of solitude, conversation with my Dad and a time for wishes.”
Common folklore that has been attached to dandelions. In addition to granting wishes, many people believe that dandelion seeds will carry your thoughts and dreams to loved ones when you blow them into the air.
So, my birthday wish is to send my thoughts and dreams to my loved ones. Wishing only good health and time that is worry free.
Just Being Mary 