healing arts

recently a friend got sick.  and sadly, it was not the easy kind of sick.  it was the cancer kind of sick.  the uckiest, scariest, most I-feel-helpless kind of sick.  and in my next breath, I am happy to report that it was caught early and all signs post-surgery are incredibly optimistic.  for all intents and purposes, her system is free of the big c.  but, before the good news came there was much hand-wringing and so I did what I do….I sent her some hand sewn items (as well as this highly-recomended book, in case you are wondering).

one of the hand sewn things I was most excited about was this pillow with eight pockets filled with eight clothespins.  sounds a bit odd but let me explain.

she and I have been friends since college and we have maintained a friendship with a circle of eight women.  as a group of women, we have been through a lot.  a whole lot more than I ever expected when we left college behind.  and, it has brought us close emotionally but we all live pretty far apart and we see each other quite rarely.  so, we like to say that we are ‘in each others pockets’….heading into a big interview or, say, into the operating room.  we are just there, in the pocket.  so, the eight pockets in this pillow make up a spot for each of us as she heads into her recovery.

on each clothespin I wrote a word, chosen by each person, and slipped them in the pockets.   the words are meant to be a wish for her future and for her recovery.  one clothespin had no word, it was for her to write what she wanted on it.

they sit so nicely, our little dreams, waiting to help her through.

along the same lines…harnessing the power of a word….I made a banner for her home with the word heal.  I got this idea from a friend here in Jersey whose mother-in-law battled cancer as well.

it’s amazing to me the power of words, sometimes.  when you feel vulnerable it can be something to hang onto and believe in.  right now, I believe our messages of healing, serenity and renewal will help her recovery.   she will get through this and we, as a group of friends, will get through this.  it will just be another thing we all did while in each others pockets.  take that cancer.