In honor of Dorothy

Its been awhile since I last posted. I’ve been busy working my Technical Editing job and trying to start a local professional artist league. I’m very excited about where I am in my life, but I often lack the skills to direct my own life. Its easier to allow other’s to lead. I’m learning.

I’ve tried hard the last couple months to work on my art. I’ve made several Art Quilts for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (sorry Ami, I’ve not registered any of them yet). I’ve had a nagging idea for one of this mini quilts and tonight I finally worked past my procrastination. I guess when you get a message from a messenger you have to listen to it.

See the idea came to me the last couple weeks. I heard someone say “God, rest their soul.” Immediately it made me think of my Great Aunt Dorothy. She died the year before last, outliving all her brother’s and sisters. As a spinster, she died alone, just the great-nieces and nephews (my siblings and me) who cared enough to be there for her in death. So sad. Well, what struck me when I heard “God, rest their soul” was Dorothy. She was terrified to die.

Here she was basically alone in the world, but she was terrified to pass from this life. My deep sense, is that when you pass, you’re finally re-united with the ones who proceeded before you. I can only hope I’m correct, because there are so many that I’m looking forward to seeing again…including Dorothy.

So, being the anti-religious person that I am (no don’t send me hate mail, you can’t change what I believe), I remember being at the lovely and emotional Catholic church service when we buried Dorothy. I cried and cried hard. All I could think of when I saw her casket and the priest waving the smoky orb over it, was Lord, let me be right! Please, let there be a big party for Dorothy right now. Please let my mom, grandma, great-grandma marek, and definitely Aunt Flo, Uncle John, and Uncle Tony, be there welcoming her to the pearly gates. Everyone being there, giving her hugs and asking to hear her stories. As they all looked down at us with tears in our eyes. Missing them all. Please let Dorothy’s fears be for not. She was such a kind soul and deserves to rest in peace, if not rest in joy for a long life well lived.

So the long story is for these quilts. They are inspired by Dorothy. “Lord, please rest her soul!” And why did I get inspired today to create these? Well, this afternoon when I turned on my Palm Pilot, a message popped up to remind me that Dorothy’s birthday is August 1. I miss you Dorothy, as I miss all of you…

Update 10/1/2008: After my Uncle Ed died in late September 2008, I sent the “brother” to Aunt Dorothy’s quilt to my uncle’s family. It seemed appropriate since Ed suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. I donate these little quilts to Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative (www.alzquilts.org), so they may raise money to fund research on the disease.