I have written about this before, but tonight I find there is more to say!
In February of 2012 I had a very bad bicycle accident. On March 5 of that year, most graciously, Sara R, one of the greatest real-life heroes in my life, announced a community quilt was being made for me. She did a followup diary for me on the 22nd of March, and soon thereafter the most beautiful, the most remarkable quilt I have ever seen arrived at my door.
In early May I wrote about the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being a community quilt recipient. I put more into that diary than any I have ever written, and yet, today, the subject calls me again.
More below! But, first, a word from our sponsor ...
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Please come in. You're invited to make yourself at home! Join us beneath the fleur de kos...
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The quilt Sara made for me is beautiful through and through, front to back, top to bottom. It displays messages of support and caring from 72 exceptionally wonderful Kossacks. Friends. Core members of our incredible community. I wrote thank you messages to all of them in that diary, and I mean those messages more passionately than I did then. If the people who composed the messages to me did not see the thanks I wrote for them, they are posted in hyperlinks in that thank you diary. I hope you can read the words I wrote for you, as I still read the words you wrote for me.
Here are two pictures of me wrapped in the quilt. I was still a bit ‘broken’ when Kathy took these shots, but it isn’t apparent in the pictures, and at least I didn't get it dirty! (Whatever you do, don't let the 'model' detract from the quilt's beauty and majesty! If I had the Photoshop skills I could have munged him out!)
When one has a quilt as beautiful as this, the temptation is to frame it in some way, or to store it in a protected way. I did not do that. I don’t think it is consistent with the SPIRIT of the quilt. I think it is meant to be used, to be held close, present, to be appreciated consistently and regularly. I think it is meant to be touched, and, on a deeper level, to be FELT! Of course, it is too warm (in this area) for summertime usage, but in winter it is a pure delight.
So, as I go to bed each night, I pull this beautiful quilt over me, and I sleep under its love, under its power. And, perhaps more importantly, I begin the NEXT day covered in its warmth and love. What a great way to start the day!
And special thanks yet again to Sara and winglion. These women have hearts as big as all outdoors, and they share them with us regularly. They have done WELL OVER 100 quilts for members of this community (110 were listed in Quilt Diary for Meteor Blades, his being one of at least five more ‘in the works’), and they rely on this work for their livelihood. This link, courtesy of smileycreek (in an incredible tribute diary for Sara and winglion), will offer you a chance to support them financially. (If you would like your contribution to go straight to them to support their work, kosmail Sara for a Paypal email address.) You won’t find a more worthy cause in the Daily Kos community.
(As it happens, Sara posted a quilt diary tonight for hopeful, who is fighting cancer. Please make a contribution if at all possible, to help hopeful in this difficult time.)
Thank you for reading!
On to tonight’s comments! Formatted, collated and made magical by brillig! (Thank you!)
That quilt suits you, Ben. I hope it will be coming to Detroit this year... (Ed. note: I'll send it! ::wink: )
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down.
From HeyMikey:
Slight risk of flame war, but ya gotta admire the wit of this comment by Kossack enhydra lutris (which, by the way, is the sea otter).
brillig's note: This comment was accidentally left off last night's diary. TC regrets the oops.
From Dragon5616:
In Meteor Blades' diary Time to stop 'debating' global warming deniers driven by invincible ignorance and self-interest, Fiona West offered up these excellent talking point tips.
From Dave in Northridge:
joynow gets George Zimmerman absolutely correct in his comment in Hunter's diary about how Zimmerman is crying "victim" to anyone who'll listen to him. Also flagged by sidnora.
From brillig:
From kos' Michael Dunn and a post-racial America I nominate this one by AoT, because it is great on its own AND links to the best piece on history of the Second Amendment ever.
From BeninSC:
I liked this comment by Dallasdoc for sharing considerations of identity politics and issues-based politics. Well written!
Flagged by Capt Crunch, this comment by xaxnar exposes Marsha Blackburn's dishonest ploy of saying "Yes" to things Gregory said to make it seem like he was agreeing with her and validating her points.
This comment by smileycreek is included just because it contains upbeat (and somewhat funny!) news from arizonablue about her husband's surgery. (We wish you and your husband the very best, azblue!)
Flagged by fcvaguy, this comment by blue aardvark hypothesizes a unique possible explanation for Benghazi!
Flagged by Mokislab, this comment by vhramis describes a positive aspect to Bill Nye's debate skills!
Top Mojo for yesterday, February 16th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary
FAQing Top Mojo.
1) My hope is their case of "arrested development" by HoundDog — 176
2) This group has a severe by BDA in VA — 149
3) My one exposure to the French system was by konving — 120
4) poor christie by Laurence Lewis — 114
5) Oh please by i understand — 113
6) Excellent, That's Very Interesting by Gooserock — 106
7) My sales guy had an "Episode" by patbahn — 98
8) Michaels was a bum in school! by pollwatcher — 90
9) My son had to use the French System by twigg — 86
10) as well as being subpeona'ed by wilderness voice — 86
11) I think Warren will end up running after all. by elwior — 85
12) See Buchanan, P and McCain, J by Gooserock — 80
13) The last guy Rove thought was presidential by Tara the Antisocial Social Worker — 79
14) I sure hope this cop loses his job over this by need pr — 79
15) Bear this in mind by Mokislab — 79
16) Equality under law means the government by Slightly Wobbly — 77
17) That's a GREAT idea! Dems keep this kind of by bunnygirl60 — 76
18) FL has legalized whites killing blacks by Liberal Capitalist — 76
19) Differences? by Nicolas Fouquet — 74
20) Hillary's OK. But... by HeyMikey — 76
21) Best of luck to you and your business. by AaronInSanDiego — 71
22) Well Yes There's Certainly No Shortage of Voices by Gooserock — 71
23) That's what a civilized people do, they by Pescadero Bill — 71
24) blush Thank you but I think I my by bunnygirl60 — 71
25) I am so sorry to tell you this BUT by Vetwife — 66
26) how significantly different by Wendy Slammo — 64
27) OK, that's the connection to the PA Cops. by CwV — 62
28) One problem with your contention, unfortunately by xaxnar — 62
29) In the principal's office: by marylrgn — 62
30) so long as... by kishik — 61
Top Pictures for yesterday, February 16th. Click any image to be taken to the full comment. Thank you jotter for the image magic!