When you are a strong reed growing by the river of life, why do you think you are a dandelion puff blown by the wind, blown into little pieces, as if you no longer are whole? Of course, dandelions do as dandelions do, and there is greatness in their being blown about. Dandelions are much more than you think, just as you are much more than you think.

Dandelions blown by the wind go further. They propagate. They become more, not less. Their wholeness is not less. Each little fluff of a dandelion contains Wholeness. Yet you see it differently. You see the dandelion as being dissolved, blown by the wind and then fallen to Earth. And yet what a journey a dandelion takes, and what a gift it is!

And you, beloved, like a reed who stands straight, drinks deep, bends with the wind, and keeps its own place in the Universe — you are also a gift. Even stationary, seemingly tied to Earth, you are a gift to the Universe and to yourself.

A dandelion appears to be embedded, its roots deep in the earth, and then, amazingly, when the time is right, the dandelion takes flight and travels the Sun.

A reed that grows by the water appears to be hollow. Its hollowness is put to good use. From a simple reed, music comes, pea shooters, and what not. Shortsightedly you look at what you see as the deficits of dandelions and deficits of reeds. You also attribute deficits to yourself. This is a sad story of a Child of God.

Sometimes you consider yourself a dandelion pulled apart, and you overlook the beautiful yellowness of a dandelion. And sometimes you consider yourself an empty reed as well, when you are staggeringly filled with the Presence of God. Where you are, I AM. Where you feel empty, I AM. I fill up those empty places. You are filled to the brim with Me. You are overflowing with Me. To whatever use a reed or a dandelion or you are put, you serve the Universe and the Great God Who made you and Who stirs within you. Serve yourself now as well. Serve Me by serving yourself and holding yourself up to the mirror of life and see that what I have made is good. Stop thinking your thoughts now, and think Mine.

When will you be finished with devaluing yourself? When will you perk up with the sure knowledge that you are not only worthwhile, but worth much, essential to the running of the Universe, and essential to Me? When will you stop taking a dim view of yourself and start maximizing the good in you and keep it to you as a treasure? Beloveds, how about attending to that which you see as desirable, and cease to attend to that which you see as less desirable. Do this, and the less will simply drift off, or at least take a back seat. Take what you consider the unbeautiful of you, bag it up, and put it in the back seat now without a backward glance. Why wait for what is inevitable?

It is inevitable that you will look at yourself with new eyes. I have said so. I have said so time and time again. Start now. Forget the pallor, and recognize the roses in your cheeks. If you must find fault with yourself, find fault with your fault-finding, and abandon it now. Say something nice to yourself. Say it now. You are far more than you give yourself credit for. How about giving Me more credit, too, while you are at it?