Over the weekend, I received a private message through my Etsy shop.
After a few short correspondences, I was commissioned to create a very special
piece. I have asked for and received permission to share this story with you.
This beautiful woman is Sharon. She is in the last days of her life, after a
valiant fight against cancer. She has a dear friend named Debby, who is the
person who contacted me through my shop about the commission.
Debby told me about Sharon and wanted me to create an item similar to one
she had seen in my shop. You see, Sharon has been planning her own
funeral and Debby has been helping her to make all the arrangements.
Debby asked that I create a Dear Heart pillow using blue flowers instead of pink,
and wondered if I might be able to embroider "Our Beloved Auntie Sharon" on it.
It also needed to be smaller because Sharon is a mere 120 pounds and losing weight
because of her illness. You might wonder what Sharon's weight has to do with anything.
Well, they have planned to put the pillow on an easel - next to the above photograph
of Sharon - at her funeral. The easel will then be placed next to her closed casket.
After the funeral, the pillow I have created just for her will be
placed on her chest when she is laid to rest.
Debby told me that Sharon would be contacting Hospice yesterday, so I
decided that I would put everything else aside to work solely on this project.
I want to get it in the mail and on its way to them as soon as possible.
Nothing would be nicer than for Sharon to be able to see and hold it herself.
I was struck by the enormous significance of this piece. It's a gift of love
from a person who knows that she's about to lose a dear friend. It's steeped
in symbolism, in lieu of flowers, to be shared with friends and then to be
ultimately placed over the heart of their loved one, gone too soon.
I said prayers - from making the silk roses, through to the completion of the pillow.
I asked that God guide my hands to create something truly beautiful for them.
I asked Him to give these beautiful people strength as they face the days ahead.
I asked that God comfort them as Sharon leaves this earthly realm.
Debby has already seen my finished pillow and written the most beautiful note to me.
I'm going to save it along with a photo of their finished Dear Heart to remember that
they entrusted me to create something memorable for their celebration of Sharon's life.
I am moved and grateful to have been asked to take even a small part in that celebration.
I'd like to publicly thank Debby and Sharon for putting their faith in me.
I believe that God puts people in our path for a reason.
Yet again I am humbled, and I will never forget.
"For God hath given His angels charge
over thee to keep thee in all thy ways."
- Psalm 91:11
