I’ve never been a part of a quilting bee. My first wife’s grandmother quilted, and my wife helped her with a few towards the latter years of Granny Densmore’s life. I understand that, in a quilting bee, many people work on the quilt at the same time, usually with an agreed upon theme. Many hands make short work, they say. It’s a beautiful way to make something to keep loved ones warm through generations. Everyone contributes to the common good of the eventual individual that will look at, and use, the practical item.
Life is a lot like that, I believe. All the people in our lives contribute something useful to us. Of those folks, some are more skilled than others. There are people who miss a stitch now and again, but the others help get us back on track. A few people add an artistic flair to the journey. They make the canvass “pop” as they are able. The panels of our quilt are like years in our life. Some may be beautiful, while others are less so. Ugly, even. Those are the hard times. They come to us all, no matter how well off we may be, because we’re all human. Old age, sickness and death come to us all. Pain is real to the rich and the poor. Nobody is immune to those things. We’re all equal in God’s eyes.
Our parents work on the early parts. They start us on the straight line, or not. They try, in their own way, to give us a good beginning. They teach the right from wrong, good from bad, and push us towards what they believe will be a good life. In the middle are family, siblings, and friends. Some show us how to have fun and enjoy the ride. Some get us into trouble. Or did we get them into trouble? Maybe a bit of both. It’s in the middle that we decide on plans for the long term. Or we just go where life takes us and do our best. Unfortunately, that’s most of us. Our quilt can get quite wild looking during those years. Some of those panels (years) we’ll look at much later and wonder how we ever survived them, how we got to where we are now. But we wouldn’t be where we are without them.
The finishing of a quilt is a special thing. Some traditions may involve the quilters signing a special panel to show who was involved. Others may include “quilting in” a special symbol, or a secret message into the stitching for the recipient to discover later. Another tradition is to immediately put the quilt to use. On a bed or as a throw in the living room to show that the quilt is meant to be of practical use and comfort. Isn’t our life a lot like that? Everyone from our parents to our friends have placed special meaning in our lives. They’ve all put their marks on us, and we’ve become better for it all. Even the dark times that leave scars will heal, and the painful mark it leaves may be sensitive, but it will be stronger in the long run. We may not know each “special meaning” until years later, but you can be sure there are lessons that can be learned. In the end, just like the quilt, we have to put our lives to use. Those hours of work and sweat put in by all of those that helped stitch us together shouldn’t be wasted. We should put our own brand of stitching into someone else’s quilt with the same love and care that we were given. After all, we’re all human and aren’t we supposed to be here for each other? We need to keep each other warm. I think that’s why God put us here in the first place.
Good quilting, Y’all.
Rolling Stones 
That was so beautiful! You already know quilting holds a special place in my heart, my mother was an awesome quilter, and she taught me all she could when I would listen to her, God Rest Her Soul But I never forgot a thing, and I still put my teachings to good use constantly. You really hit home with me on this one and I never thought of it that way before, and now I forever will Barbara Diane Salazar
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