My dear friend has had brain surgery and I finally was able to visit her this week. It broke my heart to see such a strong, vibrant person so helpless and dependent on other people.
We sat and we talked and we joked and sternly told each other that we would not make each other cry. But, of course, this is a very dear intimate friend and this farce could only last so long.
Finally she said to me, Bern, I don’t understand why so many things have happened to us since we were young. I had to say that I honestly didn’t understand either why there have been so many rough events for us. We never expected any of them. We were young and excited and fearless about life and we were sure life would fulfill all our expectations for happiness. What to say?
And then I remembered the homily about the quilt –
I was at a service one time and the minister was speaking about how life an enormous amount of the time just doesn’t make any sense or have any rhyme or reason. He compared life to a quilt. He said when you looked at the underside of a quilt you saw loads of knots and loose strings and none of them formed any kind of pattern. But when you turned the quilt over all those strings and knots formed a pattern that led to beauty.
We discussed the idea that especially that day we were looking at the underside of the quilt and seeing all the knots and just had to trust that some beauty was in the design. And perhaps part of the beauty of the day was the affirmation of our love for each other.
Sending you more beauty than knots,
Bernadette
This is so sweet Bernadette. I am so glad you got to spend time with your friend in the hospital.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wise words. I hope your friend is recovering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for sharing. Its good to talk.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is a really wise way of looking at life! I like it. I think we get tangled up in the messy stuff sometimes and forget the good stuff. Best wishes to your friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this metaphor. Finding the beauty can be challenging, though, in the face of pain and illness. Sending you and your friend best wishes and hope that you’re able to find the hidden beauty in each day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Bernadette for writing from the heart this morning. I am sorry to hear that your friend is struggling with both her heath and life questions/answers, but I think you sum the answer up beautifully with your metaphor of the knots ont he back of a quilt. Sending good karma through the airways…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Life is a happening while one learns compassion and love.
LikeLike
I love this post. That quilt metaphor will stay with me. Your last line was perfect. Wishing you the same and good health to your friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your quilt metaphor is lovely and wise and I hope it brought some comfort to both you and your friend. I am so sorry that you and your friend are facing such a difficult time. I love the idea that the beauty of this one day perhaps is in the affirmation of your friendship and love for each other. I hope her recovery is smooth and that you and she are able to enjoy the beauty of the quilt sooner rather than later. Take care…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bernadette, at this time my friends can use more beauty than knots but life goes on in its daily path to finding our greatness. Sometimes, as you mentioned it is just difficult to tie the knows. Thanks for the metaphor.
LikeLike
Coming from a family of quilters I can really appreciate this metaphor. And watching my parents age and experience physical and mental losses is a journey I relate to.
LikeLike
Wow—what a great message, yet it’s so true. Without all the bad things in our life, would we be able to appreciate the good things? And sometimes those bad times, bring us people in our lives we wouldn’t have met otherwise.
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
LikeLike
What a wonderful consideration- the other side…what we ignore… So sorry for your friend. Good thing she has you, Bernadette.
LikeLike
Those hard times are so much better when pieced together with the love of friends and family. I’m so glad your friend has you there with her.
LikeLike
Thank you Bernadette for this lovely post today! 🙂
LikeLike
So often we dwell on the underside without turning it over to see the beauty of the whole. I firmly believe that we are never given more that we can handle at any one time. It is easy to ask “Why me?” Now when people ask me what happened and why me I just simple answer, “Why not me?” Hope your friend has a speedy recovery.
LikeLike
This was a sweet post and I needed to read something uplifting like this. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
Wonderful analogy! Life is definitely both the undersides of the quilt and the beautiful pattern on top! Thanks for sharing Bernadette..I wish your friend a speedy recovery 🙂
LikeLike
You’ve found the perfect metaphor, Bernadette – I’ll have to think of this when I’m dwelling on the knots and ties too much.
LikeLike
Beautiful story – in all ways, Bernadette. Thank you.
LikeLike
An inspiring post, thanks dear Bernadette!
LikeLike
What a lovely metaphor as Tara says too and the other commenters. Some times I get the thought that we become strong under pressure like training. My example is a weaker picture of it but the end result is something beautiful
LikeLike
Not weaker Marie, just a different way of coming at the same problem.
LikeLike
We all enjoyed this so much. Seeing the beauty of life in spite of all of the knots and imperfections takes wisdom and intelligence. You and your friend are well endowed with both.
LikeLike
So beautiful.
LikeLike
Lovely story, Bernadette. Well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Greetings Bernadette! I wanted to visit to thank you for following Quantum Hermit!
I love the quilt metaphor here, which brings me to the idea that while I don’t understand a given moment, when looked at together with all the other moments of my life, I see a ‘Long and Winding Road;’ a picture when puzzled together is the patchwork of a life lived courageously, even when I don’t feel the courage in that moment. Thank you for a lovely post here.
Fim
LikeLike