The Power of a quilt

Okay go get a box of tissues cause by the end of this you will be shedding a few tears... Ready ...cause not sure if I am but here goes anyways. On Sunday we awake to a call at 4:30 am. Took a minute or two to figure out whom was on the phone . My friend has just had the police at her door telling the family that their youngest son was killed in a car accident. The grief is flowing threw the phone lines. We are up ! The  first thing my husband says is go see if our son is home safe and sound. You see he went out with friends that night and was not the driver . Relief sets in as we see the sneakers by the door way. Go down to his room and steal a hug. Coffee on shower and off Rod and I go in different directions as he had to move work around last week and could not stay in town this week. Me off to help where I can. As I walk into my friends home you can feel the sadness. Hugs, the tale unfolds tears are shed. Turns out my job is the official hugger. Each time a new person comes in D. (my friend) goes and greets the newest guest and the tears flow. The grief is palpable and no one knows how to comfort this family. My reaction is to hug, I don't have the words cause I don't know this loss and hope never to. So I wrap my arms around both D and her husband when it's needed. The pain is so real , and raw that one feels helpless. By the end of this day I have a headache from all the tears shed.
Before leaving I ask D if I can have some of her son's t-shirts so I can make her a quilt. You see all day long she is clutching his things with an iron grip afraid if she lets go it might be true. It's not real , I'm going to wake up she says under her breath a hundred times this day.  Into his room we go typical young man's room cloths everywhere , gym gear everywhere, the smell of hockey gear ahhhh but she looks we laugh and cry some more. In my arms the shirts go,  I know she is trusting that I will not harm the items she is giving me,  letting go of more. ( crying now  ? I sure am)
On the drive home make a call to two quilting friends explaining what has been going on and yes they will come and help. At nine Sandra arrives we open a bottle of wine she listens then to the studio we go. For the next couple of hours we talk , chat and sew. My soul is recharging . In the morning Sandra heads to work, I head to the sewing machine. All day long the machine sews and sews, the noise is like a hum that's soothing after lunch it's down stairs to the long arm. In my dreams I dreamt of angel wings but in the end I stitched hearts flowing threw the quilt landing here and there. In the corner quilt Love you Travis . Back upstairs square the quilt and machine sew the binding on.
Load quilt , Luna and myself into the truck and head to the other side of the city. Walk into the house where their was over fifty people. By the end of the night over 100 people will have came to show their respects. D. sees me and the quilt and is in my arms. The quilt is then scooped up and she has it on the floor inspecting, soaking up what I had done. Tears are flowing her oldest son is thanking me and crying , this family embraces me and this quilt. Now it's nothing special eight meters of fabric, nine t-shirts that are used but the power it holds words can't describe. When I left tonight my friend was on the coach curled up under it finally resting.
The power it holds is love. Travis is there giving them that last hug.
So thinking this is the nicest quilt I have ever done because it was done with the purest intent love.
Thinking your crying now.  Go hug you kids, call them , email them cause you never know when the Angels want them by there side. I know I have given JD more hugs in the last two day than he would like oh well. Now to bed I head not looking forward to the next couple of days but will  smile and let my spirtes flow.

It's a new year, we all make resolutions which one never really keeps but at least we give it our best effort for a month or so. A few years ago I got off this merry go round as I did not like setting myself up to fail. Now yes I do say this year I am going to do this or that but it is usually something that needs to get done. Last year was the year to purge, finish projects and clear out the clutter. This was done with the help of an organizer. Sometimes one needs to ask for help and that's okay. Also my quilting friends kept me in line to finish off my projects, although I keep adding to that pile. As for this year I have made goals not resolutions. This years goal is to have a Millennium and frame in the house .For those that don't sew it's a kick ass Long arm machine. Now the plan is to teach and put that income aside , get another part time job. Okay I know adding to my already crazy schedule but I sent out a resume to do census for Revenue Canada and that job one can set there own hours. You see to make my goal means I have to put about a thousand dollars aside each month for the whole year. We will also be making cutbacks in other areas so that I can bank more. So this year I will also try to sell some of my quilts, use more of my stash and spend less. Ambitious goal I know.


Friendship Quilt
Blocks made by friends quilt design mine

 You see I have a plan which has been set into place. This plan happened because Rod and I kept telling JD to do what he loved. A job is not a job if you love what you are doing. When giving advise one should follow ones own advise. So for the next year I shall be taking classes from some wonderful teachers from all over Canada and the United States. I will also be asking my friends if I can quilt their quilts so that one can practice what one is learning. Muscle memory is important. And the scariest thing is to start using my computer to design quilts so that one can start selling one's patterns and designs. Long term Plan make this crazy hobby or rather addiction  start paying for it's self. So giving JD advice also made me look at my life and ask was I living it to my fullest. Was I my best self and the answer was getting there, work in progress. Now step it up and live. Thinking I have been watching to much Oprah. So question of the day are you living your fullest life ? If the answer is no then what's your plan ?  Now to go see what the kids are doing, get JD out the door, pour myself a coffee and get on with my day. Hope your day is full of fun and laughs. I know mine will be cause kids can be so funny.