"Stitched together in love...."The quilted story of unconditional love
by Royanna Fritschmann
The quilt was handcrafted from the hands of a woman with severe arthritis...crooked fingers...huge heart!
Linda Hohl was a woman that loved everyone...didn't matter what race, sex, religion or creed...bad to the bone, blue hair, gay, homeless, messed up home life, those that didn't fit in ...abnormal pieces to life's puzzle always were her favorite! She love each with the same regard..."We all put our pants on the same way" - and so it was unconditional love for ALL!
The quilt she set out to make was going to be her own. She had made hundreds of quilts, blankets, and throws over the years...for so many people...each lovingly prepared with that person in mind...each holding a special place in her heart! But this quilt she was making was her own...for her own bed! Her own cherished treasure!
The fabric carefully chosen with colors and patterns to piecemeal together...scraps of fabrics collected throughout the years from garage sales, from family and friends, and fabric from shirts of loved ones passed. All collected together to form a special blanket to not only warm her tootsies on cold nights but to warm the heart with the memories of her life stitched together in LOVE!
The squares in the quilt...represented her 5 Children, her 12 Grandchildren known as her "Dirty Dozen" and all the children she mothered along the way. Each of the squares fabric were tiny scraps stitched together to form a perfect square - each square symbolizing that we are all stitched together like a puzzle...a family...working together...loving together unconditionally! And in each square a red HEART hand embroidered to remind her of the extra days of life she was blessed with from her miracle heart transplant - and each heart to show that love can be the way for all..."All you need is LOVE"!
This gorgeous quilt was her personal favorite...and was a family favorite too! It smelled like her - so all the grandbabies would cuddle up in it to smell their loving Nana! And it was the quilt the we cuddled up on to watch movie in the park! And it was what kept Mom cuddled up in her bed at night when she was missing our Dad...this quilt was a quilt of true memory and LEGACY!
Today, this quilt has more meaning!
This woman of utter strength, tenacity and passion...the woman with the crooked fingers...has passed...but the message of her legacy, the story of her life and the quilt live on!
On February 12, 2010 the quilt was lovingly placed on her casket...showcasing the piecemealed crafted treasure of pure love...showing the hearts in each square...to remind us that LOVE is our legacy...and that love has the power to reach even the most hardened heart...when you love unconditionally with no other intent....LOVE CAN AND WILL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
Our past is our past to give to our future...but today is a GIFT and that is why it is called "THE PRESENT"!
Today, think of Linda and the legacy of her quilt...Go out with a love in your heart to LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY...not because you have to, not because you want something in return...but because you want to gift something to another! We are each given only so many days on earth...what will your legacy be? How will you use your time here to change the life of another? Will you stitch together a legacy and gift something extraordinary to those around you? Take a moment to think about it...cause even the smallest thing you do or say can touch the life of another in profound ways...like a ripple on the water...so go...go out in LOVE!
