TO LIFE
by lamplighter
Part three of three
For the next several weeks, Charity and Lillian made a point of getting together as often as they could during Charity's lunch breaks at Eagle Mountain. Lillian really seemed to enjoy Charity's company, and she turned out to be quite the excellent mentor in the art of quilting! Her knowledge of the art was impressive, and her skills were unmatched. She taught Charity how to select patterns, colors and fabrics. She taught her how to sew by hand, something Charity had never even considered doing before! Lillian was a stickler for detail, too. Every stitch had to be precise, every seam straight, every seam allowance trimmed and finger-pressed. "If you don't take the time to do it right," she would say, "you might as well not do it at all. Shoddy workmanship results in a pathetic quilt! But take your time, Dear; do it right, and you will have a masterpiece!"
Charity was amazed at how patient Lillian was with her. When she didn't understand how to sew a curved seam, Lillian repeated her demonstration and explanation several times until she finally got it. When she questioned the practice of finger-pressing seams, Lillian encouraged her to go ahead and put together a block without pressing it so that she could see the results firsthand. There was something about the way Lillian worked with her that encouraged her and strengthened her resolve to master quilting, maybe even get to a point where she could teach it to others. The thing she liked best about their time spent together, though, was the storytelling.
Lillian told Charity some precious stories as they sat quilting together each day. She told her about the time her mother allowed her to bake her very first cake all by herself, and how many times she had to mop the floor afterward just to get all of the confectioner's sugar up. She told her about her husband, Paul, and how many times he got busted back to the rank of Private during the Second World War because of the pranks he would play on his officers. Lillian described what it was like to grow up in the country during the Great Depression, and how she raised her babies alone while her husband was overseas. She never expressed any complaint or grudge; instead she always seemed to find the good or the humor in whatever story she told. It was a trait that Charity came to admire in Lillian as their friendship grew stronger each day. It was a trait that Charity wanted in her own life, one she would set out to develop. It amazed her that Lillian had all of this within her, that she had lived so much and had so many stories to tell! Charity was also delighted that Lillian enjoyed telling them, especially to her. It seemed that with each one she told she became stronger and bolder. She even seemed to be interacting more with other residents at Eagle Mountain!
After several weeks of lessons, Lillian suggested that she and Charity work on a quilt together. Charity quickly accepted the invitation, and together they picked out some fabrics. Lillian had suggested doing a sampler quilt so that Charity could try different patterns and stitching techniques. "What about a theme?" Charity asked Lillian. "What should we base our blocks on?"
Lillian quietly thought about it for a while, then she turned and faced Charity and looked her straight in the eye. "Do you remember when you came up to my room to talk to me that first time?" Charity nodded quietly. "I honestly didn't know what to think, Dear. My life has been a good life; I have some wonderful memories! But I wasn't living, Dear, I wasn't living. I think I was really just waiting to die." Lillian's gaze dropped down to her hands in her lap.
Charity thought about the woman in front of her, and how different she was from that woman who had greeted her at her door those weeks ago. That Lillian was quiet and kept to herself. This Lillian was full of stories and lessons. That Lillian stayed in her room most of the time, this one had a spring in her step and now enjoyed long walks in the sunshine. It really was wonderful, she thought, to see Lillian finally taking part in things around her, just like she was sure she used to do.
Lillian looked back up at Charity. She smiled, and continued, "It wasn't until you came to visit me that I even thought about the fact that I am still alive. I am alive, and will live for as long as God has left for me to live. I want you to know, Dear, that you have helped me so much. You reached out to me and have helped me start living again." Lillian brought her hands together, eyes sparkling, and said, "Let's make 'Life' the theme of our quilt! Is that alright with you, Dear? Let's make blocks that remind us of life." Charity smiled. It was quite alright with her!
Charity and Lillian began working on their "life quilt" together. Lillian would come to Charity's home a couple of nights each week and they would have dinner together, then go over the work each had done on her blocks. After all of the blocks were pieced, the two friends joined them together into a lovely quilt top. Lillian had a large quilting frame that her husband had made for her many years before. She set it up at Charity's house, and they would sit for several hours at a time stitching together. Lillian continued to tell Charity stories of her life, and Charity's admiration for her new friend continued to grow. She had never known anyone who had endured so many hardships, yet had still come through smiling like that. Lillian certainly had a wonderful sense of humor, and Charity knew that was how she had survived.
One night, as the quilt was nearing completion, Lillian didn't come over to Charity's home like she usually did. Concerned, Charity called and asked her if she was okay. Lillian said she was just tired and thought it might be better if she stayed in that night. If it was okay with Charity, she'd love to make it the next night instead. Charity said that would be fine, and sat and stitched on the quilt in solitude for a while. She thought alot of her friend, and said a quick prayer that she would feel better. Charity stopped stitching for a few minutes, and sat looking at the nearly finished quilt. It was truly beautiful, a balance of piecework and applique. She was amazed at how much she had learned in a few short months, and she was delighted that Lillian had been so willing to teach her. As she continued working on the quilt that evening, she thought about the healing affect it had on her. There was something so wonderfully calming to the soul about creating a quilt...
The next morning when Charity arrived at Eagle Mountain, she was greeted with the news that one of the residents had passed during the night. Before she even heard the name, she knew deep inside that it was her Miss Lillian. Charity's heart sank in her chest as she lowered herself into a chair. She put her hands up to her face and thought for a few minutes about her friend and the time they had spent together. Charity knew that she'd had an impact on Lillian's life, but felt certain that Lillian's impact on her own life had been far greater. As a tear gently rolled down her cheek, Charity thought of the "life quilt" that they had worked on so diligently. She pictured the blocks that Lillian had pieced and quilted, so artistic, so precise. She remembered Lillian's slender fingers as they had worked the needle and thread with such skill, never idle. She smiled softly when she thought of some of Lillian's stories about her life, and how they encouraged her to laugh more in her own life. She could not believe that she would not hear Lillian laugh anymore except in her memories. Well, she thought, at least I have the memories. Thank God for the Memories.
That night Charity went home and finished the quilt. Lillian had told her that when you finish a quilt, you should make a label with the title of the quilt, the quilter's name(s), and the date of completion on it. When she finished her last stitch, she knew exactly what to write.
Charity arrived at Eagle Mountain the next morning with the newly-finished quilt folded up under her arm. With her director's permission she hung the quilt up on the big wall of the day room for all to be able to see. On the bottom right-hand corner of the quilt was a label that said:
To Life
To Love
To Laughter
To Quilting
To My Friend Lillian Eberhardt
who taught me to appreciate them all.
Charity Chance
September 20, 2003
"Shoddy workmanship results in a pathetic quilt!
But take your time, Dear; do it right
and you will have a masterpiece!"
- Lillian Eberhardt, May 23, 1923 - September 18, 2003
Lamplighter
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