A Tapestry

Years ago, when my children were still at home, we were all sitting in church. The pastor made an analogy of life by referencing a tapestry. The backside had chaotic strings, knots and loose ends everywhere. There is no rhyme or reason; not an attractive thing to look at, until it is flipped to the reverse side. The tapestry then exposes a beautiful picture. The backside representing all of life’s, ups and downs, difficulties and hardships. At the end though, a beautiful picture has been weaved.

My parents’ marriage comes to my mind. Often it seemed as though my dad ruled the roost. However, my mother was doing what she wanted, raising her family, even had her mother living with us. She started a part-time job at my high school as we all grew more independent. My dad was very strong-willed, just oftentimes seemed a bit difficult. When my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, he could not have taken better care of her, in spite of his own declining health. I saw the knots and loose strings but at the end a beautiful picture was exposed.

Each of us has our own backside and our own version of beauty. We may have to look at the back of our tapestry at a different angle, tug and pull some strings, cut off some knots. Perhaps we need to take it out in the sunlight to see it in a different view.

Remember, it’s your life, your story, your tapestry.  I do hope as you start to turn it over for a look at your life, a spectacular tapestry is revealed in your eyes.  Keep working on the backside and Don’t Live Old.