pillows have many functions
they can be decorative
they are a place to rest
they are something to hold when you need a good cry
they can display memories
when my papa passed away last february
my grandmother gave me a box of his shirts to donate to the veteran's center
when it came time to take them into the veteran's center
i couldn't.
i could not part with them
but i knew i couldn't keep them.
i had an idea to turn them into pillows
but
i can't sew
i asked my friend, melinda,
who is a great seamstress,
if she would make the pillows.
she was hesitant
expressed fear she would 'mess up'
i assured her
messing up wasn't possible
what became of my papa's shirts
were beautiful pillows
words and pictures do not provide justice to the work she has done
the first pillow was my sister, Jenny's, birthday gift
melinda did not know anything about my papa
or any stories behind his shirts
the heart in the center is made of the shirt he wore every christmas
the last holiday we celebrated together as a family
my papa always carried pipe tobacco in his shirt pocket.
melinda did not know these details
yet the pillow was 100 percent my papa
in more ways than just being his shirts
below are some of the other pillows she made from his shirts
the front of one of the pillows
the back of the above pillow
his dancing shirt is the pillow the flowers are his pj's
another pillow form his shirts
another pillow she made
so on sunday as we celebrate the first thanksgiving without my papa
i will give my aunts, my mom, and my grandma the opportunity to choose their pillow.
melinda said she is still making pillows
so my cousins will have one as well
as she finishes them
i will post pictures
melinda,
you have a gift that goes beyond the stitches you sew
the patches you have crafted into pillows
will tell stories of my papa
for generations after me
i can not express how grateful i am that you took the time to create these for my family.
thank you.
today i am thankful for pillows.
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