Transformation

Dominique Browning shares a bit of insight on the pleasures of taking the opportunity to create something beautiful out of what once was thought to be ruined: she embroiders dragonflies in the moth holes of woolen garments. A week or so earlier she had noted the beauty inherent in the crack of an eggshell, even though the crack may render the egg useless for its originally intended purpose. It may turn out to be okay for something else entirely, but we can only see that if we step back or look away for a moment. She tells us, sometimes we spend too much time trying to mend things that have gone awry, sometimes things are irreparably shattered and need to be let go. Salvage may be a wonderful thing, or it may be too much effort better spent elsewhere. Only sometimes it is hard to know which way to go.

I like stitching, watching threads and fibers come together until something lovely takes shape under my fingers. I think because of this, it takes me longer to get to the point where I want to put it down and walk away. My inclination is to stick to the work, persevere, soldier on. You never know when you’ll be glad you did.

Then again, calm down, rest easy, and do what you like. It’s only life, after all.

In Every Wood, In Every Spring

I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair.
I sit beside the fire and think of how the world will be
when winter comes without a spring that I shall ever see.

For still there are so many things that I have never seen:
in every wood in every spring there is a different green.
I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago,
and people who will see a world that I shall never know.
But all the while I sit and think of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet and voices at the door.

—J. R. R. Tolkien

Image from Wildlife Snapshots, Willow Wren