Katie used to call dandelion seedheads “wishies.” It was my fault, I taught my baby sister (now trans brother) about wishing on dandelions. She would close her eyes tightly, inhaling a gasp of breath and pursing her lips sending seeds on air bubbles floating into the atmosphere. I wonder what Katie wished as the airy flower tumbled and bounced like turbulence above her. My guess is candy for dinner, a new toy, and splashing in a puddle.
At 13, I wished I would pass my math test, my nemesis would break out in pimples or the dreamy boy in class would ask me to a movie.
The myth is you send the thoughts out into the universe and breath life into them. If all the seeds blow off, the wish comes true.
Who knows if it is just a children’s tale or actually picturing something into realization works. My advice is to be careful with the fragility of thoughts as it can shift and change forms.
It isn’t fair to blame a garden weed on how life turns out. Sometimes a career, experience or relationship turns out to not be what was expected, good or bad. Too often the ideal is built up until reality sets in causing mixed results.
At my age, I’ve become slightly jaded from failures, disappointment and broken promises.
I know what I would wish for if I discovered a dandelion. I would wish for the guilt, shame, embarrassment and hurt to leave. I need to blow the seeds of negativity away. My breath sending the jagged thoughts floating towards the sun to melt into nothing.
Karen Pilarski 