The Dandelion Rose

The Dandelion Rose

written for Kyle and Jessica, June 2011

The story goes of a weathered couple who had seen countless years of the storms of this life.  In spite of life’s missiles though, they were just one of those couples that permeate a soft, smooth, warming effect to all who came into their presence. 

This couple, faithful in much, remained as such in their daily walks.  Every morning, they would drive out to a little country church, park their green ford ranger, and then walk several miles down the oil and chip and back, so they could return to their home in town and the tasks their days brought.

The years went on in such a manner, until one fall they began encountering a younger woman out for her daily run.  No words exchanged, but of course always the warmth of a smile.  Perhaps she thought of them much, perhaps not so much until a need arose.  The busyness of youth tends to heed self-focus instead of outreaching contemplation.  But the couple prayed.  Every day they prayed for her.

The leaves fell, the winter snow set in, then the cold began to melt way to the warming of spring flowers.  Still faithful, every morning the drive, the walk, the return to daily life.  But this particular morning dawned anew.  As our couple approached the normal place they met their running friend, she was nowhere in sight.  They walked on and before long they came upon her, curled into a ball by the side of the road.  The older woman rushed to her aid.  With a tear-stained cheek and a bloody lip, the young woman explained her fall and the impending damage, and asked for help.  Immediately, the husband walked as fast as he could back to the ranger, leaving the two women with life and all the calamities it brings.

As the young woman sat in her sorrow, she suddenly thought of this couple, wondering how their life could bring such happiness when hers had brought much sorrow.  Pain-stricken and tired from the days’ bringing, she looked at the woman and spoke with a twinge of bitterness, “My life has been full of stench and heartbreak and ugliness.  So I must know, how do I get what you have?”

The older woman’s face slowly lit with the warmth of a weathered joy-filled smile.  She simply said, “Most of life on this earth is full of stench and heartbreak and ugliness.  But God is a perfuming, beautiful love for all who welcome Him in.  Sweetheart, it’s not the details of my life that are any different than yours, it’s the focus.”

Perhaps the young woman would have left in amazed shock had the older woman shared the very real, very monotonous, very hardships of her life.  Perhaps the older woman would have left encouraged had she known that her simple words had the power to change a life.  But perhaps, yes perhaps, the God of All saw it all and He is the only focal point.