This week I heard a quote on the radio, and yes for those snickering I do still listen to the radio every morning while packing lunches and starting my day.
There is so much joy in morning radio, where the hosts play off each other, taking silly polls, sharing stories, laughing, telling you the news of the day without making it dreadful and playing peppy songs to get the day going… it’s a breath of fresh air, when I press that ‘on’ button and for decades it’s been part of my morning routine.
So this week during the hosts banter they shared a quote that went along the lines of “the ups and downs of life are the stitches that heal our wounds.”
I liked that.
I grabbed a pen and I wrote it down.
It got me thinking as I usually use the quote that life is like a rollercoaster with many ups and downs, but changing that narrative to stitches gave it a whole new meaning.
You see when we stitch and sew we move the needle up and down and up and down, and after several stitches we can fix a hole, take up a hem or even create something new.
The constant up and down motion creates a finished product and as the quote points out, often times the stitching fixes things.
Comparing the ups and downs of life to stitching made it feel more productive, fixable and easy.
Like something we can control.
Holding that needle between our fingers and moving it up and down through the fabric is cathartic, productive and easy.
And in a world right now that feels far from easy or fixable, I like that.
To me, Spring and the Easter season are a time full of renewal, hope, love and promise.
A time when the days get longer, the sun shines brighter and the air somehow feels fresher and free.
It is a season that fills me with desire to try new things, get outside, explore and grow.
The buds on the trees are blooming, the flowers start springing up in my garden and the grey ho-hums of the winter season seem to wash away.
The world feels heavy at times.
So out of our control and unfixable.
But when Spring arrives, it gives us hope.
We all feel it.
We all need hope, because it promises brighter tomorrows and fixable futures.
So often we think we are but one voice and yet as I sit quietly on my sofa moving my needle up and down to mend a tiny hole in my daughter’s pants, I feel satisfied, proud and accomplished.
A seamstress I am not, but for my whole life I have watched my mom sew and through her teachings I can do a quick stitch when I need to.
It’s far from perfect, I wouldn’t offer the service to anyone else and I definitely couldn’t accept a pay cheque for it, but for me, it works.
So that is why I love that phrase, “The ups and downs of life are the stitches that heal our wounds”, for it is in those simple words that I am reminded that small ripples make big waves.
That simple actions make tremendous impact.
That ups and downs create the stories of our lives and ups and downs also allow us to fall, get back up and heal.
So in this season of hope and love and light, let’s remember that.
Simple actions make tremendous impact and in a world that needs our voice now more than ever… let’s do simple and see the ripple effect it creates and the massive waves that follow.
We’ve Got This.
@half_full_most_days