Count Your Blessings
29th February 2020
Everybody - Meet my Nan, Rose.
Here she is wearing her white shoes and kind smile, standing with my Uncle and Aunt amongst her flower children in her happiest place.
Here is a woman who had great strength, wisdom, love and compassion.
Here is a woman who worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met, was up at 5am every morning, never went to bed until the tasks were done and everyone in the house was settled, but who knew the meaning of peace.
I’m introducing her because here is the woman who taught me to love fabrics. The beauty, texture, uses, strengths and myriad of recycling possibilities! She lived and breathed ‘Make Do & Mend!
The drawer in her kitchen table was full of brown paper bags with rolled up ends of string, little keys that fit things only she knew - buttons waiting to be sorted into her magic button tins, seed packets, lengths of ribbon, a bag of beads from a broken necklace that may be nice on something knitted... it was like a treasure trove for my 3 year old self and that joy never left me.
Helping her sort the jar of buttons held such possibilities! A temporary picture on a tray, a necklace, a chance to sit with her and watch her deftly sew them onto a shirt, a newly finished cardigan that would keep me warm... and my Nan taught me the biggest lesson of all: Counting my Blessings. Playing ‘The Glad Game’
I wasn’t nicknamed PollyAnna for nothing! I took this to heart and looked for the positive and good in everything.
Now, years later, I look back and thank her - sometimes I tried to see good in something that was not, but looking for the lessons in that situation became the blessing. It has kept me moving forward all my life.
Sometimes we will stitch something and look at it with a critical eye. We will see a mistake or wish to make an adjustment so we unpick and re-stitch, learning from the changes made... and we just need to remember that even if it doesn’t turn out the way we originally planned, the time we take to sit and stitch is also time to relax, time for ourselves, time away from distractions to value each little moment and treasure times that allow some reflection. I’ve reconnected with some valuable memories these past few weeks - they are now helping me see the way forward.
Stitch slowly and count your blessings
Here she is wearing her white shoes and kind smile, standing with my Uncle and Aunt amongst her flower children in her happiest place.
Here is a woman who had great strength, wisdom, love and compassion.
Here is a woman who worked harder than anyone I’ve ever met, was up at 5am every morning, never went to bed until the tasks were done and everyone in the house was settled, but who knew the meaning of peace.
I’m introducing her because here is the woman who taught me to love fabrics. The beauty, texture, uses, strengths and myriad of recycling possibilities! She lived and breathed ‘Make Do & Mend!
The drawer in her kitchen table was full of brown paper bags with rolled up ends of string, little keys that fit things only she knew - buttons waiting to be sorted into her magic button tins, seed packets, lengths of ribbon, a bag of beads from a broken necklace that may be nice on something knitted... it was like a treasure trove for my 3 year old self and that joy never left me.
Helping her sort the jar of buttons held such possibilities! A temporary picture on a tray, a necklace, a chance to sit with her and watch her deftly sew them onto a shirt, a newly finished cardigan that would keep me warm... and my Nan taught me the biggest lesson of all: Counting my Blessings. Playing ‘The Glad Game’
I wasn’t nicknamed PollyAnna for nothing! I took this to heart and looked for the positive and good in everything.
Now, years later, I look back and thank her - sometimes I tried to see good in something that was not, but looking for the lessons in that situation became the blessing. It has kept me moving forward all my life.
Sometimes we will stitch something and look at it with a critical eye. We will see a mistake or wish to make an adjustment so we unpick and re-stitch, learning from the changes made... and we just need to remember that even if it doesn’t turn out the way we originally planned, the time we take to sit and stitch is also time to relax, time for ourselves, time away from distractions to value each little moment and treasure times that allow some reflection. I’ve reconnected with some valuable memories these past few weeks - they are now helping me see the way forward.
Stitch slowly and count your blessings