Humans are genetically disposed to look for connections, as we travel through a life full of ever-increasing complexity. We see faces and animals in the clouds. We thrill to the discovery that we have a famous distant ancestor in our genealogy explorations. When we go to a quilt show and start chatting with the strangers next to us, it is not long until we find many things in common, sometimes startlingly so. When we make those connections, it rings a bell. We love to ring that bell.
During this year which defies being tied down by any limited combination of adjectives, we are missing those connections, and therefore when that bell rings, it has so much more meaning. So when the Kilauea volcano explodes, as we are having a once-in-800-year planetary alignment, on the Winter Solstice, we want to see and understand the connections. When we’ve gone through a year of losses and isolation, having to let go of all our expectations, the holidays bring a bittersweetness and a deep yearning for…connection.
For those of us who have suffered a deep loss, such as a beloved spouse, or a child, the hole that is left in one’s heart may be too raw to make a connection. But with time, we realize that in order to heal, we must give to others….the one thing that we crave the most. That sense of being connected.
When we quilt…when we sew all those pieces together to make something greater than the sum of its parts…it is a meditation of connecting. 25 years ago today, we lost our baby daughter Hanna, and I started my journey to heal our hearts. Quilting was part of that journey, but starting this business and then committing 2% of sales to charity, was also part of that healing process. Back then, 30,000 children around the world were dying every day for lack of basics like clean water, basic nutrition and minimal medical care. So we decided to honor Hanna: we would try to do something about those children being lost…and those mothers whose hearts were being broken.
By the end of this month, we will have raised over $1.75 million for a variety of charities and non-profits over 21 years. I write this with humble astonishment, but I share this with you on the Eve of Christmas, because I feel that this year we are all contemplating the true spiritual meaning of the holiday. We wish to express our gratitude for your support for our family business and our charity program, but we also thank you to have trusted us with this vision that we can truly make a difference for those in need.
Wishing you the blessings of Peace and comfort in this holiday season,
Luana and Paul
