Dandelions are setting seed on spring breezes. Whenever I see them I think of wishes, of hopes blown aloft on my breath—a reclamation of innocence and optimism.

Spring is such a hopeful season, as we witness the ever more miraculous renewal of the earth’s life force in the northern hemisphere. How does She keep regreening despite the abysmal way we treat Her?

This morning I watched a sparrow pick at a dandelion seed head then fly off, her mouth full of fuzz to line her nest. What a lovely home she’s building. I can just imagine what it would be like to greet the world from such a gentle place, to learn about the wind as you sway in your cozy nest. (Of course, there are those nests which get blown down every year, nestlings who contribute to the food chain instead of taking flight, but that’s how it is with us, too. Some of us come from safe, secure homes and others have to dodge and dart and struggle to save our own lives.)

When’s the last time you made a wish on a dandelion seed? I bet you can find one within a block of wherever you are right now. It’s okay, no one has to know. I won’t tell. Think of it as an affirmation of what you need in your life now. Or think of it as a blessing on your own life, or even a prayer for someone else. Our thoughts are creative, as every child who has ever done this ritual already believes.

CONTEMPLATIONS

• What softness might you add to your life?
• Where will you find it?
• What form will the softness take?
• Can you let go and sink into it?

MAKE A WISH VIDEO

Meet another flower spirit here.