JINNY JOE

MONDAY MUSINGS - The sun, the moon AND the stars

Who would have thought that one of our most hardy weeds would be what inspired not only my week, but also something within me, on a much deeper level.

I’ve been on a journey in my job this year – developing something that I’m proud of at work, and something that I know has the potential to be very special for my patients who are living with life limiting illnesses.

Whilst a lot of work has gone into it – you could say the real work has begun on the delivery, and all that we have learnt from this week by week.

Considering what works well, what we need to scrap, adjust, improve. How has this been received, how we can improve it, and how we can maximise the number of people and the ways in which we can support them?

It’s an 8-week programme for patients living with life limiting illnesses, and I have drawn from my experiences as a palliative CNS in a hospice setting, the community and an acute hospital to create a programme that aims to inspire and empower patients to live their best life right now regardless of their journey or situation. Presenting simple and achievable ways to develop confidence and resilience and better cope with their situation by understanding themselves and thinking outside the box to help them find strength, motivation and positivity even in their darkest times.

Next week we deliver week 8 – the final week – to our first cohort of patients. I will genuinely be sad to say goodbye to this very special group who have trusted in me, and engaged, and who have hopefully gained something from all we have explored together.

As I said, I have changed and adjusted and rearranged things every week, because despite all the planning and research that goes into things like this, you don’t know how some things will work until you are actually doing it – and I’ve found myself working on sessions right up until the last minute because there has been things to change and adapt based on what I have heard, seen and learnt from the previous week.

So I have been thinking a lot this week (and fretting) about next weeks final session – ‘the finale’, probably the most important week, the one that really needs to drive the message home, the one where they really get to face, and own, the empowerment they have hopefully achieved.

How do I best convey to them to keep going, to trust the process, to remember all we have learnt, discussed and instilled. How do I encourage them to continue to utilise the strategies, draw upon new coping mechanisms and navigate the next steps in their journey with courage, confidence and compassion for themselves?

How do I find a way to continue to really instil the message I have been drilling into them for the last 8-weeks – that there can be light found in the darkness, and we can carry that light forward. That they are stronger than they may realise for what they have already faced and overcome. That there is hope, and we can reframe the negative aspects of our lives that take away our light.

I wanted simple symbolism, that everyone could access, understand, and embrace. A lasting legacy that they can call upon when they need strength to carry the light forward.

It was a sunny weekend – last week my lawn was mown and I spent some time on Saturday sitting in the garden with my cat. Not satisfied with the blanket we sat on, I wondered if it was too soon to get some of the garden furniture out of the shed at the end of the garden. I retrieved a couple of chairs, and the table so I could maybe do some of my work and planning outside, and laid them out on the grass for a hose down to exterminate all the cobwebs that had accumulated over the winter months.

What I realised when I went down the end of the garden – I have a long and narrow garden and don’t get right down to the end of it very often! The answer to my worries about my grand finale was right there at the neglected end of my garden.

As I hosed down the furniture, I noticed dozens upon dozens of dandelions in the grass – they stood out even more as the grass was short, and was only freshly mown last weekend. I was therefore taken aback by how many dandelions there were only a week later.

Little speckled sunshine faces poking up from the sea of lush grass. In one week they have stood up – in tandem and not only faced the sun, but almost replicated the sun.

As I frequently painstakingly pull weeds from the cracks in between the paving stones of the patio – I generally think, bloody hell, how do these weeds always find a way to make it through? Usually as I set out to destroy said weed, by means of whatever appropriate level of obliteration is available to me, and curse both its mere existence and its sheer determination at the same time.

However, something about the dandelions made me genuinely stand there in a moment of genuine awe. How could I be mad at a collection of sunshiny faces staring up at me, with open hearts, amongst a backdrop of lush green grass. Instead of being irritated by them (that may be because I hadn’t mowed the lawn myself!!!) I stood there in awe. I admired them. I appreciated them. I felt adoration for them.

And then it dawned on me. Bingo! That’s it. My grand finale will be inspired by none other than the Dandelion itself.

How you say? Well then I curiously wanted to know more about the Dandelion, and a descent into a Dandelion rabbit hole then ensued.

And now I may never look at a Dandelion the same way again. And I hope both you reading this here now, and my patients who will join me next week for the last session of their programme, will also never look at a Dandelion the same way again.

It occurred to me in that moment – the Dandelion is the ultimate symbol of resilience. Ultimately a weed – but at the prettier end of the weed spectrum. Anything that’s a vibrant shade of sunlight yellow is hard to hate! Although its left to shine amongst a backdrop of shiny sunlight yellow counterparts who also appear at this time of year – Daffodils, Buttercups and Forsythia - the humble dandelion pales in comparison. But I bet the Dandelion would have an abundance of resilience, durability, determination and survival over any of it’s ‘prettier’ counterparts.

It then led me further down the Dandelion lined rabbit hole into learning more about the trusty Dandelion. I also couldn’t help but be drenched in nostalgia thinking about many childhood days in the communal garden were I group up – sat amongst the dandelions, making daisy chains. And of course relying on the dandelions to make all my wishes come true when they turned from sunshine coloured flowers to elusive sheer ‘globes’ to be wished upon.

That’s what made me realise that the Dandelion is actually the sun, the moon and all of the stars rolled into one. How bloomin romantic and whimsical is that? For a mere weed to represent all of that??!

Upon further research, I realise that it’s evidently well known that the Dandelion is absolutely a symbol of freedom, resilience and optimism. We may call them ‘weeds’, but actually they are wildflowers preciously dressed in resilience. The fact that they reappear in abundance the week after the lawn has been mown in my garden surely shows that? Because they survive and thrive in diverse environments – in poor soil and less than desirable climates. They push through seemingly solid ground, hiding in darkness until they’re ready. Breaking through cracks in concrete that so many have walked on.

Everything I want my patients to know about survival, endurance and determination, whatever the circumstances.

Their ability to grow anywhere and return each year make them symbols of perseverance, hope and abundance. They are also an early and important source of nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies, when other flowers are scarce.

Dandelions are shrouded in nostalgia – often known, not only as ‘the sun’ of the grass, but also as natures clock, as they are light sensitive - they close at night and when rain is pending, and open to face the sun. In childhood - we made wishes when blowing on the dandelion globe. The dandelion trusts in the wind to take the seeds where they need to be. The seeds spread to create new life - the seeds can travel up to 5 miles. But you could say that when you wish on them you are also putting your intentions out into the universe, and I just think that’s cool

So, because the algorithm always knows! I was served a video that same evening with a little Irish girl talking about dandelions. She referred to them as ‘Jinny Joes’ – this is and Irish reference to the seed head (globe) stage of the dandelion (or Jinny Joe) where she stated you should never pass a Jinny Joe without making a wish.

I’m sorry, but how cool is the name Jinny Joe?!!

Being part of the sunflower family, I think there is a lot of pressure on the Dandelion to ‘perform’, but somehow the Dandelion doesn’t seem to care that’s it’s just a weed, it shows up and shines anywhere it likes, regardless of what we think, or what we may try and do to prevent it. The dandelion is the ultimate survivor, a fine example of confidence and determination in adversity.

The Dandelion is also edible and is said to have several nutrients and health benefits, with it’s leaves, roots and flowers having medicinal value.

Then there is it’s magical transition into it’s globe state – the ‘becoming’ of the ‘Jinny Joe’, offering the promise of hopes, dreams, and wishes being granted. This transition demonstrates the ability to transform and adapt and how what was seen as a weed, had the ability to reframe itself as a mystical and elusive element not quite like any other in nature. With the promise of procreating and continuing it’s existence for an eternity of cycles, where the dandelion transitions from the sun to the moon, resulting in the scattering of stars.

What a hopeful, meaningful and fine symbol of resilience to share with my patients. Something they are able to see most days at this time of year as a daily reminder of the importance of those things, and the value they hold.

And what a perfect example of never judging a book by it’s cover, thinking outside of the box, and changing perspective on our most negative thoughts and scenarios.

Because you can either see a field full of weeds, or a field full of wishes.

Ooooof I just bloody love that!