One Apple A Day #702 - Taraxacum officinale
The name in English is dandelion, from the French dent-de-lion, meaning "lion's tooth". Where I grew up, we call it soffione, from the Italian word "soffio" meaning blow.
Because that was the game when we were kids. To blow it so all those white things would fly in the air, and we would be left in awe. Imagining how far they would go, what they will see in their journey.
As a kid, I thought the dandelion was a weak plant. I mean, a flower that can be disrupted by the blow of a child, can't be a strong one. For sure not like one of those reliable and grounded trees in the woods.
Later on, I learned that those "white things" are seeds, or better they carry the seed. And they are perfectly designed to travel long distance using the wind, so the seeds can spread on a broader area.
In nature, there are trees with strong roots, and there are fragile flowers that can travel anywhere. And they both thrive when they follow their nature and are in their environment.
I believe that a vital ingredient of a joyful life is to be in tune with our own nature. To really be aware of who we are, what are our inclinations, what do we love, what makes us feel energized, and in which environment we thrive.
Like a dandelion blown in the air by a child.
What makes you thrive?