2023 is done and gone and here we are solidly in 2024. It was a year of big accomplishments and awards and some just getting through. As you all may know, I lost my husband Rick is 2022 and grief is a process that doesn't really finish. If there's anything I've learned through that loss, it's that life is short and no day should be wasted. I do have some of those days that slow down to a snail's pace but my intention is to risk, to live, to never waste the life I have.
The Musicians, my first large art quilt, was installed in the home of my son Tucker and his lovely wife Elena and their baby Bruce has that in his line of sight every day. Here I am at the time of installation. The day I got the photograph that this piece is based upon has been captured in this art work for both my son and I and now his family enjoys it. So satisfying to me!
My girls, and the other two grands, Kota and Grayson, have remained close to me and I think we are normalizing a little bit now in our family relationships now that Rick has been gone a year and a half. And yes, I still think of him being gone and only recently had the experience of really accepting that "gone" means he's never coming back.
Other friendships and relationships have come into my life and some of the friends from that prior life have remained, some haven't. Being married versus being single is a different way of thinking and sometimes it can be hard to bridge the gap.
I have started a new piece which is on my design wall now but I'm procrastinating the work on it although I'm not sure exactly why. I do know I'm having a hard time with staying home and loneliness in my home so that's part of it. My quilt Gourds and Pumpkins will be at Paducah so I'm hoping that will get me inspired again. In the interim, I'm giving myself the advice I so often give to those I love - self-care and give yourself the gift of time.
Be well my friends. LeAnn
