“‘Tis a gift to be simple
‘Tis a gift to be free
‘Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
It will be in the valley of love and delight.” —Shaker Hymn
I find myself humming the song in my head when I look at this painting. Gifts of dandelion flowers from a child is one of the simplest gestures of love we can experience. We know dandelions are weeds, even a nuisance to those who try to keep them out of their lawns. But when a child picks a dandelion and toddles over to present it to you, you can’t help but accept it with gratitude to the giver and admiration for his choice!
Accepting dandelions brings us down a level as we bend to reach the child. A humble place, a different perspective. And maybe, when we try to raise back up on our creaking knees, we will be reminded of the “place just right.”
Tis a gift to be simple, a gift to be free… and a gift to be given Gifts of Dandelions.