By Snow McNaughton
The Sun rose as it always does. Bringing shades of dark blue, orange and pink with it across the sky. This delights the dandelion who feels a resurgent of life every morning the Sun rises. As the Sun moves higher up into the sky, the dandelion turns its head, stretches up, and reaches out to the Sun with each of its petals. The dandelion’s basal leaves soak up the life given force that shines across the sky. Early morning is one of the happiest times of the dandelion’s life. One might think that a dandelion has an easy life. It’s just a flower some would say. But no, it’s a fighter. It’s an activist striving to fight the good fight. Fighting to reclaiming abused and trampled land. It grows in places others would not dare to go. Leading the charge into new territory and making a place welcoming to others. It travels wide and far to carry its message of resilience. When people look about, they see it in some unusual places like cracks in pavement or sides of buildings. The dandelion is there, shining back at them. A reminder of a small presence resisting in a big world. A world which is getting scarier and scarier by the moment. When you walk by, will you shine back at a dandelion and let it know it’s not alone?