Life insists on persisting

Another morning, another funky mood after scanning today’s headlines. At least the snow is melting. In fact, when I put on a coat and went outside to clean up after the dogs (again), the melt water was making fun noises as it flowed through the downspouts. The sound of flowing water usually cheers me so I headed for the dog walking area in a mood that was somewhat improved.

three late dandelion blooms

Photo by J. Harrington

Undeterred by the multitudes of multitudes of fallen leaves, the scooper and I proceeded along the road’s edge. As the chore was coming to an end, I saw somethings that amazed me. After several nights and some days of below freezing temperatures, after a couple of inches of snow at the start of the week, there, peeking out toward the sun from under a scattered cover of oak leaves, was not one, not two, but three dandelion blossoms on November 3. I was now heartily cheered and castigating myself for indulging in so much gloom and doom. The flowers reminded me of one of the sayings we keep on the refrigerator: “What God requires of us is that we not stop trying.” [Bayard Rustin (1912 - 1987)] Those dandelions are definitely trying.

fresh bloom in November!!

Photo by J. Harrington

Even though the three blossoms are circled in red in the top photo, they’re still very hard to see. The picture immediately above shows just one so you don’t think I’m hallucinating. Flowing water, flowers in bloom, it might as well be spring! These days my response to cheery discoveries is simply to say “Thanks!, I’ll remember that!” and file away another pleasant memory.

Picking a Dandelion

By Quincy Troupe

for Joe and Jill Biden, Cheryl and Charles Ward, and for Margaret

walking along together 

in the nation’s capital 

Joe stopped, stooped, picked a flower—

a dandelion to be exact—

then he handed it to Jill—

who smiled in her white summer, 

dress full of pretty flowers, 

and someone snapped a picture 

of this sweet, simple gesture, 

it revealed something deeper, 

profound, beautiful about 

their love for each other here, 

that taught all of us watching, 

how to reach across time, space, 

with a tender touch, a kiss 

for one another here, now 

in this moment of hatred 

before time on earth runs out

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