There are days when realizations come at you like a thunderbolt from the blue.
One of the funniest conversations I had during the two years of formation was with one of the mentors who thought that I am an extrovert. When I shared that I’m a strong introvert she was surprised. I love people, and people wear me out. It’s a delicious irony. I am quite happy to be in a crowd watching and listening, occasionally offering something, yet delighted when those who have a lot to offer in a conversation have that opportunity.
There are times though when the conversation is simply overwhelming, particularly when, in that moment, I need to be present to the one who talking, a lot. And here, my friends, is the bolt from the blue, illumined my brain in a way I did not see coming.
I am a Free-Motion Quilting Extrovert.
I may have snorted in that realization. And permit me to add a bit of understanding here. A couple of months ago I taught a color class on-line. This particular jaunt moves from the color theory to color practical in that we make and quilt individual quilt blocks to see how color plays with us and how we can play with color. After sharing images of something I’d quilted for the class one student expressed very clear dislike of what I’d done. And I couldn’t quite understand the response, until now. Part of the understanding came in really examining my own internal response to the extroverted student and part came in understanding the response to the free-motion quilting I do. It is The Same Response.
Mind Blown.
I’m in my studio writing these words and I’m still knocked over with a feather. I have a better understanding of both myself and the quilting I do. It is how I am able to express all of what goes on inside my heart and mind. The decorative stitching, for me, is that visitual rather than verbal external expression of all the thoughts in my head. And I, my friends, am here for it.
On another note permit me to share with you The Better Part, An Intellectual Women’s Journal. A friend heard about this new magazine for Catholic Women and I managed to subscribe for the Inaugural Issue.
The size is fantastic – 9 x 7
The paper has that delightfully good feel
The articles are well written
The art is beautiful and thought provoking
And I’m looking forward to savoring each page
I’ll share more in the next week or so.
I’ll also have a one year bookversary review on a friend’s book: Conversations for the Modern Catholic Woman. I met Jodi at a women’s prayer & sharing group. And we got to know one another a little more deeply through the St. Vincent Ferrer chapter of the Lay Dominicans. Jodi moved out of the area a couple of months ago so we don’t get to see each other often in person.
Happy Easter!
A Quilter's Heart 