What do you see when you look at a dandelion? Do you see it as most adults...a weed that is the very bane of our existence? Do you spend all spring and summer grumbling as you try tirelessly to extinguish the dandelion's life?
Or do you see the dandelion from a child's perspective...one of the most beautiful flowers around? A flower that you can't wait to gather handfuls of to proudly bring home to your mother to show how much you love her. Do you see it as a magic puffball full of wishes just waiting to be released by one full-cheeked blow?
Up until last week, I viewed the dandelion as most adults do. That is until I was watching a video called Celebrate What's Right with the World. The video is narrated by a photographer from National Geographic. One of the clips he talks about was his photographing a field of dandelions. He talked about how during his photo shoot, he was thinking that he shouldn't even be wasting his time. That the pictures of dandelions wouldn't be that fascinating. And then he got the shot. It was spectacular. It caught the puffball and the sunlight just right. In that instant, as he was describing his photo, I realized that even dandelions have worth. I just have to change my perspective.
I wish that I had had this metaphor in my head as I offered up my challenge to my 6th grade advisory students. The imagery might have helped them live up to the challenge. My challenge to them was to put the word of the month, RESPECT, in to action by showing respect to someone that they don't particularly like or get along with. To do so will require them to change their perspective and realize that everyone is of worth. I'm looking forward to meeting with them tomorrow to see how the week went and if they gave my challenge a try.
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