More Than a Blanket

My mother became really interested in quilting just before my first son was born. I tried to share her interest, but became immediately intimidated by the time and accuracy required to create a beautiful quilt. Rather than disappoint myself, and my mother, I turned my ambition to another hobby ~ SCRAPBOOKING!
I love to scrapbook. Since the birth of my firstborn, this has become more than a hobby for me. It has become an addiction. I could spend all day, every day, gazing at those pictures of my handsome little boys and figuring out ways to embellish the pages in just the right way that will complement their countenance. I thoroughly enjoy the instant gratification of completing a page layout. Success comes much quicker with scrapbooking than it does with a quilt.
Over the past seven years, my mom's quilting has become more than a hobby for her as well. She has made beautiful creations out of the smallest squares of fabric. And she loves to show them to me. She gets so excited as we pull the four corners apart revealing her intricate handiwork. She is truly talented.
She has continued to invite me to quilt with her, but I have continued to turn her down, offering excuse after excuse as two why it is "not my thing". I don't have the patience. I don't have the time. I'd much rather scrapbook.
A few weeks ago, my mother took me into her quilting room to show me her most recent endeavor. I must reiterate, she is very gifted. As I stood their envying her talent, she offered me a novel. (She knows in addition to scrapbooking, I LOVE to read.) This was the first in a series of novels about a young woman who is learning to quilt. It didn't sound like the kind of novel I would normally read, but I couldn't bear to disappoint my mother. So I reluctantly agreed to take it with me.
The novel started off rather slow, and I debated giving it back to her, but I just couldn't let her down. She was sure I would like it. So I carried on. Before I knew it, I became quite enthralled with the storyline. I looked forward to spending some quiet time engrossed in the tale of this young woman's apprenticeship as a quiltmaker. The author did an excellent job of not only incorporating the basics of quilting into the story, but also revealing that learning to quilt is more than just making a blanket.
Thanks to this novel, my eyes have been opened to what my mother's true desire has been since she started beckoning me to quilt with her ~ to spend time with me.
Quilting is a time consuming task. I realized that is why my mother wants me to join her in it. It's not just about creating a meaningful bundle of warmth; it's also about sharing tender moments, creating memories and passing on one's passion. I am ashamed that I did not see this sooner.
My mother is picking me up in just a few moments so that we can have breakfast together. I'm going to tell her that I would like for her to teach me to quilt. AND I am very much looking forward to it.