When there just aren't words

About a month ago, a family in our neighborhood lost their two-year-old son. He had a tumor in and around his spine, and after the few months it took to find it, they lost him during treatment. The grief has filled our neighborhood, where we have seen too much loss (two families lost their newborns only hours after birth last summer), and many people have reached out to this poor family. Someone decorated the neighborhood with orange ribbons, a dozen women helped make small orange bows to pin on at the funeral, and many more have contributed meals and other meaningful offerings.



Please excuse the awful picture...I had the quilt for only 2 days between the binding and delivery, and we had horrible, dark weather both days...

Before he died, I began to plan a neighborhood quilt with a friend, but the boy died before most of us had started sewing. I was saddened that the quilt was now going to be a memorial quilt, but we pressed on and had almost 20 women help in some way on the quilt, whether it was donating money to help pay for the long arm quilting and backing, or contributing blocks, or offering help in laying out the final quilt.

I was overwhelmed by the number of people who offered to help, especially since many didn't know the family well. I think everyone really felt absolute sadness at the loss of a toddler. Whenever I think about it, I can't help but think of my own three-year-old and I just weep at what the mother must be going through. Did I mention she has a six-year-old and another on the way? Yep. Following his treatments, she couldn't even comfort him because the radiation could cause pregnancy complications.


Adorable quilted airplanes on a minky back.

Because I don't know her that well, and wanted to respect her space, I asked another friend who also helped with the quilt to deliver the quilt to her. I didn't get to see her reaction, but that's not really the point, is it? I truly hope that this quilt can offer comfort to them during this heartbreaking time. And it's been a huge reminder to me that quilts bring people together and can sometimes say things better than we ever could with words. Which is saying a lot, considering I was an English major. :-)