The Old Threads Are Unraveling
Henri Lebasque: "Girl Sewing on a Sofa" (1925)
The old threads are unraveling,
Get your needles ready.
We are stitching a new quilt
of humanity.
Bring your old t-shirts,
worn out jeans, scarves,
antique gowns, aprons,
old pockets of plenty
who have held Earth's treasures,
stones, feathers, leaves,
love notes on paper.
Each stitch
A mindful meditation.
Each piece of material
A story.
The more colour the better,
so call in the tribes.
Threads of browns, whites,
reds, oranges
Women from all nations
start stitching.
Let's recycle the hate, the abuse,
the fear, the judgment.
Turn it over, wash it clean,
ring it out to dry.
It's a revolution
of recycled wears.
Threads of greens, blues, purples
Colourful threads
of peace, kindness,
respect, compassion
are being stitched
from one continent to the next
over forests, oceans, mountains.
The work is hard
Your fingers may bleed.
But each cloth stitched together
Brings together a community.
A world, our future world
Under one colourful quilt.
The new quilt of humanity.
~Julia Myers
Small Actions Lead to Big Changes
We are only 10 days into 2021 and ….. well, we all know. Actually, it would be naïve to assume that things would change overnight, but I didn’t think that the current situation would get worse! I came across this beautiful poem, ‘The Old Threads Are Unraveling” by Julia Myers. It spoke to me not just because it is about sewing, but because it inspires all of us to come together regardless of where you may be, TO DO GOOD and MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT. I intentionally capitalized these words as I sometimes underestimate the impact we all have in our communities, if not the world. Maybe you feel the same way too, or feel that your actions are too small to make a difference. But, we can make a difference - a single action can lead to big changes, just like when we throw a pebble into a pond, there’s an instant ripple that spreads out towards the pond’s edge.
Small actions
Smile and say “hi” to the cashier at the supermarket.
Compliment your neighbour or a stranger. Make their day, make them smile - it’s contagious!
Call a friend for a chat - listen to them and show you care. Gift them a care package, or bake/cook a dish for them.
Bigger actions
Write letters to your loved ones - yes, pen and paper. In the age of digital, it’s nice to get something through the post.
Organise a gathering that resonates with you and will also inspire others. For example, I could have weekly or monthly stitch meditation get togethers. This would require more time and commitment so only do it if you have the energy, or maybe you could inspire others to organise one!
Sign up for a course that will help you in your artistic journey, or learn a new skill. When you’ve completed it, you become a role model to your immediate family and community, and inspire them to learn a skill or sign up for the course that’s been on the backburner for a while.
What positive steps will you take? Share in the comments below.