Quilting and Living

To my 10 or so regular readers: thank you for hanging in there until I finally created a new post.  I have been living life and finding a few peaceful moments to continue quilting, just like normal.  But what *is* normal?  I found this blogpost here:

 I learned that there is no such thing normal.  Normal is an illusion.  It’s an idea we get in our heads about what our lives should look like influenced by society, the media, friends, family and a million other things.  Searching for normal is denial of and resistance to whatever is happening right here and now which results in struggle and pain.  Wherever I am in my life and whatever is happening IS normal whether it’s what I wanted or expected or not.

My daughter is home from college, but without the satisfaction of having completed her freshman year.  She has no plan at the moment other than to find a job so she can have the near instant gratification of money to spend.  We have also adopted another 19-year-old daughter, a good friend of my original daughter who needed a place to stay for a couple weeks.  Now for the summer.

We have some big decisions to make next week about our lives, our careers, our home. There are many factors to weigh.  I have a Pluses and Minuses chart to help me wrap my head around what is important to my happiness, my family's well-being and our eventual retirement.  Change can be so scary. But not changing may be even riskier and that is scary, too. You'd think a female pilot would be the bravest person who can face any challenge with a victorious fist pump. Hah. Not my reality.

So what is normal?  Sharing a bit of our dilemma with my daughter with friends and finding unexpected solace.  Finding pockets of time to express my creativity with quilting. Picking up socks and shoes scattered around the house. Petting my cats and spoiling them with their morning canned food treat. Harvesting lettuce and asparagus from my garden.  Hugging my husband and daughter(s). Volunteering at the airport. Finding a rare moment to fly above all those earthbound struggles.  Understanding that others are struggling with issues in their own lives.

Okay. Now that I got that out.... Here is what I have been sewing lately.  "Allietare" is back from being longarm quilted, waiting for my latest fabric order to arrive so I can bind it.  Orange Crush - now named "Marigold Field" is a flimsy waiting for backing to arrive in said fabric order.

 "Colorado Sunshine" is only 7 blocks and one pieced border away from becoming an 8x10 flimsy, and its backing will also arrive in the fabric order.

This is how I can feel a sense of accomplishment. I'm continuing to work on my goals of reducing my UFOs (unfinished projects). I am enjoying my job responsibilities and helping my team fulfill our company's objectives. I am leading a flight scholarship committee which helps young people fulfill their own dreams of learning to fly. I am thankful for all the opportunities I have in life. I know challenges are part of a *normal* life.

From the same blog mentioned above:
I have come to appreciate all of life’s ups and downs and swerves and curves.  It’s all part of it, and it’s all normal.  I used to wish for a calm life with no surprises, but now think of how numb and boring that would be.  To live a rich, full life, I have to be willing to embrace, yes embrace, whatever comes my way and find the joy and meaning in it.  Without any little part of it, life wouldn’t be the multi-textured, colorful tapestry it is.  I’ll take that over normal any day.

'Til next post.... live, love and learn!