A patchwork of warmth and hope – in 10-inch squares
During a difficult time, an old quilt brought their family together.
from the June 12, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
When Mom came to visit, all she saw were her uneven stitches and the little wave at the bottom where the fabric didn't lay quite right.
She groused. Unlike Grandma, she was embarrassed at the lack of perfection. "My stitches aren't even," she pointed out.
She squinted at it and then turned away, muttering, "I can't believe you hung that on the wall."
I hugged her from behind, nearly knocking her off her feet and gave her a big kiss on the ear. "It is absolutely the best gift I've ever been given," I told her. "I have you and Grandma in my thoughts every time I look at it. It is perfect."
She was still ashamed of her stitches, but a deal's a deal – the quilt was mine to do with as I wanted.
A year passed. My family faced bouts of unemployment and a crushing stack of bills. Several frustrated squabbles later, I slipped from my restless bed.
We all go through rough patches, and I knew things would get better, but I needed a sign that things could change.
I quietly tiptoed downstairs in search of relief. Food, my first choice of comfort, drew me across the family room and toward the refrigerator.
Moonlight swept in through the family room window, spotlighting the quilt. As I glanced at the now-familiar wall hanging, I stopped, rubbed my eyes, and looked again. There – caught in the eerie light of a moonbeam – was an aberration. It didn't look like "our" quilt.
It seemed as though a geometric design of Grecian urns and triangles hung in its place. Not a basket in sight. The antique fabrics first held their new images and then, as I stared, slowly slipped back into their traditional roles – baskets and a fish began to reappear.
I wandered toward the kitchen, not comprehending what I had seen. Then, on silent feet I returned to peek again. Once more I saw Grecian urns and triangles. The shadowy moonlight had brought out the quilt's secret, a talent for illusion.
RSS feed
