The Quilt

“Just a few more days and I’ll be leaving for The University of Alabama!” I said to my Grandmother, with the excitement of a young man about to leave home for the very first time.

She looked at me and tried to look happy. I could see she was sad. Her yard buddy was about to leave home. We spent hours on end planting flowers, mowing and working in the yard that she loved so much.

“Let me try the new self-propelled lawnmower,” she said, as I was mowing the huge yard. I was so happy when she got a self-propelled mower for me to use. “Be careful!” I said as I showed her the controls and most importantly, how to stop it.

“Help me, help me!” she yelled, as she took off through the yard, being pulled by the new lawnmower, through a couple of flower beds. "Let go of the handle!" I yelled. But she couldn't hear me. She took down a small tree we had just planted before I could grab the handle and make her release the safety lever.

We had a good laugh over that. We laughed a lot.

“I’ve been gathering some things I don’t use any more, that I thought you could use at school. I have some extra pots and pans, some sheets and towels and such on the dining room table for you.”

I followed her down the sidewalk, shaded by the huge pecan tree in her front yard. The pecans were about to be ready, and it looked like a good season. I wouldn’t be there this year to help her pick them up.

From the front door, I could see the pile of things she had for me on the dining table. I was excited get some things for my first place.

She walked towards the back bedroom and said, “I’ll be right back. I have one more thing.”

She walked back into the room with the quilt in her arms. I knew she had been working on it. I even helped her set up the quilting racks for she and her friends. They had several quilting nights. I just had no idea that she was doing it for me.

She handed it to me, with tears in her eyes. I recognized so many fabric squares in the quilt. Fabric from dresses my Mom made for my sister. Fabric my Grandmother's dresses. Such a precious gift. I hugged her and cried.

Thirty-seven years later, it is still the most beautiful quilt I have ever seen. It is a quilt made from love. I feel my Grandmother's arms around me when I wrap up in it. It’s a good feeling.

From the mind of me.