Becky Says...

January 2006

Entries
Current Entry
Previous Entry
Next Entry
Archives

Links
Personal Sites
and Forums/Boards

Diaryland
The Hunger Site

Communication
Write to me


Subscribe with Bloglines






Threads - January 19

As I write this, I'm wearing an old cardigan sweater that had been my mother's. A friend of hers gave her the sweater probably fifteen years ago, as a Christmas gift. Mother really liked it, and wore it often. It is white, and machine-knit of acrylic yarn.

At some point while Mother was in a nursing home, the sweater got washed in such a way that a stain got dyed into it. At least I think that's what happened; the stain, which is a small but quite noticeable one, won't come out for me. Aside from the fact that I'm a packrat by nature, I liked the way the sweater felt and fit. So instead of throwing out a stained garment, I decided to adapt it to my own use.

I wear it around the apartment sometimes, but its most frequent use for me is as a bed jacket. In case you don't know the term, that's something worn to keep the chill off one's shoulders and arms when reading in bed. Most of the time, the term applies to something frilly and either silk or nylon. But there is certainly no rule that says those are the only materials allowed.

I love the sweater because it reminds me of my mother. Wearing it reminds me of being home with her, and the good times we had in the years between her first and second strokes. It reminds me of the talks those years allowed us to have, and as a result of those talks, the things I learned about my mother that I might not have learned otherwise.

The sweater also reminds me of the friend who gave it to Mother, and of the good times the two of them shared in their mutual retirement years. I'm glad they had each other, and that I got a chance to spend some time with that friend, also. I learned a lot from her.

It's very special to me that one garment can have so much packed into its threads.

Text � copyright 2000-2006 Becky