"I picked this to tell you I love you..."

My daughter and I were working in the yard today when she came running up to me with a dandelion in her hand. “Here Mama,” she said. “I picked this to tell you I love you.” My heart melted as I gave her a hug and a kiss. We went inside to find a vase for the little dandelion and I decided to take a few pictures of her with the special flower.


This little act of love shown by my daughter got me to thinking about a poem that my daddy shared with me years ago. When I was 17 or 18 years old, my daddy gave me a book of poems called “For You, My Daughter.” The book is a collection of poems edited by Susan Polis Schultz. I keep the book in the top drawer of my dresser, and now that I am a mother, I often pull it out and read a few lines. I am coming to the stage in my life where I can appreciate and understand the things he was telling me years ago.

Here’s one poem from the book that I will pass on to my daughter. This poem was written by Jan Michelsen.

Think freely. Practice patience.
Smile often. Savor special moments.
Live God’s message. Make new
friends. Rediscover old ones. Tell
those you love that you do. Feel
deeply. Forget trouble. Forgive an
enemy. Hope. Grow. Be crazy. Count
your blessings. Observe miracles.
Make them happen. Discard worry.
Give. Give in. Trust enough to take.
Pick some flowers. Share them. Keep
a promise. Look for rainbows. Gaze
at stars. See beauty everywhere.
Work hard. Be wise. Try to
understand. Take time for people.
Make time for yourself. Laugh
heartily. Spread joy. Take a chance.
Reach out. Let someone in. Try
something new. Slow down. Be soft
sometimes. Believe in yourself. Trust
others. See a sunrise. Listen to rain.
Reminisce. Cry when you need to.
Trust life. Have faith. Enjoy wonder.
Comfort a friend. Have good ideas.
Make some mistakes. Learn from
them. Celebrate life.
~Jan Michelsen, 1979

Thanks for sharing, Daddy. Before you know it, the day will be here when I will share this with Lydia. Thanks for teaching me to appreciate the delicate balance that life is.