Oh Sew Kind

Seamstress holds the quilt mended on behalf of my mother.

    Fifty-eight years. That’s how long my mother has owned a quilt. It’s small, intended for a child. That quilt probably warmed me when I was a toddler.
    Now the quilt warms Mom. She drapes it over herself in the living room.
    Mom’s got Alzheimer’s disease. She’s 93. Her husband is not longer alive.
    Her memory is fading but she hasn’t forgotten about the longevity of that quilt. She remarks at how much pleasure it has given her. That quilt is a connection to her past.
    Wear and tear had taken a toll on the fabric of the quilt. Mending was needed. Last week I purchased new fabric. Like the original fabric, this material was pink in color and smooth to the touch.
    I visited a dry cleaning store. A seamstress works there. I requested that she sew the new fabric on to the quilt. I mentioned why the quilt was important to my mother.
    The seamstress spent two hours sewing the fabric. Her work was excellent. I prepared to pay her bill.
    She cut back her price by a third. This gesture expressed sympathy for Mom and support for me as her caregiver.
    The seamstress’s goodwill came as a surprise, but I wasn’t surprised by her goodwill. Other people have performed random kindnesses to Mom and I.
    When people observe an elderly person being assisted, their hearts soften.