Listen

Things happen in life that throw you off balance. And sometimes it takes longer to regain equilibrium than you imagined. This is a blog entry I've been meaning to write for a while, but I have been putting it off (which is ironic, given the point of the entry, as you'll soon read.)

In February, my mother called to tell me that my Aunt Linda recently discovered a lump in her breast and would need a biopsy. Almost immediately, a little voice in my head said, You should make her a quilt. We talked some more and I asked her to keep me informed.

Over the next month, that little voice regularly reminded me that You need to make Linda a quilt to let her know how much you care for her.

Linda's biopsy was scheduled for April 14th. The little voice in my head was insistent, You should make her a quilt and give it to her before her biopsy.

My mother scheduled a trip to visit us early in April. That was the extra encouragement I needed to finish it. Earlier I had decided that Linda would love a top I had that just needed quilting. It was bright and happy with lots of purple (her favorite color) and hand-appliqued stars. I had a piece of tie-dyed Minkee that would make a cozy backing. I added batting so it would be nice and warm.

Two days before my mother was to arrive I basted, quilted, and bound it. I sent it home with my mother packaged in a gift bag. The little voice in my head was happy and quiet.

My mother called me the next day to let me know Linda was touched and loved the quilt and that I would be hearing from her soon. A couple days later I talked with Linda for a bit. She was feeling fine and really appreciated the quilt.

Linda's biopsy was scheduled for April 14th. That evening, I called my mother to ask how it went. She said it went well and that they would get the results in a few days. I told her to let Linda know I was thinking of her.

On April 15th, I received a phone call from my mother. Linda had suffered a massive heart attack. She was only 55. She left behind two sons, Davy and Adam, and three grandchildren, Davy, Aria, and Josef.

On her bureau they found her last correspondence--an unmailed thank-you note for the quilt.