“It’s my day, and I just want everything to be perfect.”

“Oh honey.  That’s just not going to happen, but we’ll try,”  replied the mother of the future bride-to-be.

The young woman was making the final preparations for her wedding, which was only a few days out.  She heard what her mother said, but did not really understand it.   She dismissed most of what her mother said, since things were so much different when she was married, some half a century ago.

That night after tying what seemed like hundreds of bows for the guests, she fell asleep in her bed.   “I am so exhausted, I am ready for this all to be over,”  she thought to herself as she was drifting off.

Soon, the woman found herself in a dark, wet cave.  She had no idea where she was, but did not have any fear.  She could see a sliver of light flickering in the distance, so she carefully walked towards it.  As she moved closer to the light she could make out an older woman warming herself around a fire.  She wore an old shawl made of wool.   Her face looked surprisingly young and her teeth were as white as her own.

“Hello there,”  announced the old woman.

“Hi.  Where am I?”

“Oh, this?  You are at the cave of eternity.  This is where many future brides come before they get married to learn the secrets of the fraternity of wives.”

“Do all brides come here?”

“No, only those that we feel really need it are invited to come.  Many do not show up, but that is okay.  You are here, so that means you are open to the wisdoms that we can teach you.”

“Is there a place like this for the grooms?”

“That we do not know, but we suspect there is.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Oh, we do not want anything from you, we are here to answer your questions.”

“I don’t have any questions.”

“Really?  Think really hard.”

The young woman thought for a moment about what she might want to ask this person whom she suspected knew all of the answers of the world – much like her mother.

“What types of flowers should I have at my wedding?”

“Dandelions,”  the wise woman replied instantly.

Just as she suspected, the woman claiming to have the answers – had none.

“Okay, I’m done here.  Can you send me back home?”

“Do you want to know why I said to have dandelions?”

“Not really, but sure.”

“Dandelions are the flower that grows nearly everywhere, but whose beauty is overlooked.  The reason their beauty is overlooked is because people have labeled them as being a nuisance weed.  In life, many people are looked upon as a dandelion, and are overlooked as well.  When we see the beauty in all flowers, we are able to transcend the views of others.  Similarly, when we see the beauty in all people, we can also transcend those views.”

The young woman thought for a moment.  When she was a young girl, she picked the dandelions in all of the neighbor’s lawns.   She bunched them up into a nice bouquet and presented them to her mother.  Her mother smiled and placed them in a vase of water, but when people came to the house they all felt the need to ask about why there were dandelions in a vase.  After that, she realized how stupid it was and never thought about picking them again.

“When we let go of the need to label something, we can see it’s beauty.  When you get married in a few days, you have a choice as to whether or not you want to focus on the event or the marriage.  The event is like the flower sold for its beauty by the florist, but the marriage is like the dandelion providing its beauty for all to enjoy – for free.”

“I think I am beginning to see your point, but am wondering how it all relates to my wedding and my future marriage.”

“Give it time.  For now, enjoy your day, but remember that the day does not make a lifetime.  Each day thereafter is what will be your life – a life that when seeing the beauty of everything and everyone is much more enjoyable than trying to keep up with the beauty defined by someone else.”

The woman repeated over and over to herself.  “Find my own beauty rather than letting others define it for me.”

The beeping sound grew louder and louder.  Eventually, she awoke to her alarm.   “Oh my, I overslept.  I’m going to be late for my appointment with the florist.”

She then remembered what seemed too real to be a dream, but must have been a dream nonetheless.  “That’s okay.  The flowers will be just perfect with whatever they bring to the wedding.”

Ω

InspiraCard

When we appreciate the beauty everywhere, we can see that everything is in fact beautiful!

Written, Wed, Apr 13, 2016 8:02 – 8:21 AM MST