The sound of thread being pulled through cloth whispers like a barely breathed prayer.
Through the years, Sara R and her sister winglion (Ann) have made thousands of prayers manifest. Our thoughts and caring have been transmuted by their loving hands into eloquent quilts that comfort and heal.
In 2011, some of the quilts that Sara and Ann had created were portrayed as a "virtual quilt" in the image below by our own much loved and missed - ulookarmless. In the midst of his own health struggles, ulookarmless wanted to make sure that Sara and Ann knew how much their quilts meant to all who received them.
Their healing hands have never stopped. Sara and Ann, with a little help from the rest of us, have made magic happen again and again, even in the darkest of times. As smileycreek eloquently said -
A scary diagnosis, a serious injury, a death in the family, caretaking a parent with Alzheimer's, living with cancer....all of it can feel lonely and isolating. In this online world of Daily Kos, though, we have genuine Healers named Sara R and winglion who fill that breach with something extraordinary: A Community Quilt.
smileycreek and
ulookarmless were far from the only ones to think so. Their diaries here on Dkos were filled with deeply moving testimonies from Kossacks who had received Sara's and Ann's quilts.
You said my quilt was to get me back in my bed. Well, it has done that. I still cry when I read the messages, since it is hard to believe people think such lovely things about me. That's the tears part. The laughter part is from the fabrics - some are smiles, and some even make me laugh. The screen saver on my phone is my dog on my quilt on my bed. Many, many thanks. ramara
It was unforgettable. First came the quilt diary and all the loving expressions of support from fellow Kossacks and then the arrival of Sara and Ann's quilt. Both lifted me up at THE lowest possible point in my life. Thank you Sara, Ann, and my dear, dear Daily Kos friends. Larry Bailey
I lived so much of my life aware of the notion - we live alone. When in a coma, I experienced time - and a greatly magnified sense not only of separation but of rejection, of inefficacy, of being undeserving of good company.
I did not wake up to the quilt; it came later. After teary eyes from leaned-over loved ones, held hands and my own astonishment that I had been out of it for quite some time.... doubly so for it being nothing so long as it felt when under sedation. For it felt like years, not weeks.
So, a few days later, as I am slowly clawing my way up to full consciousness, it arrives - this quilt, stitched together - I gather in quite a hurry - with a host of messages on it from a very large sampling of the Kossacks I knew. More would send messages in other ways - emails, texts, phone calls - a group sent some flowers.
Over a year later I am back to thinking - we live alone. I have lost friends to death and to the death of affection since then. It was the same before but mourning comes more quickly and I fear I am easier with it now. I look at my hands and let them fall back on a quilt. And I squeeze the fabric tightly and wonder - did I come back wrong somehow? Or changed, in some way that no longer fits into the world?
No, I just feel the joy and pain - all of it - more acutely. For I am aware that both can be taken suddenly, like breath before a dive under deep still water - and just as suddenly sweet delicious life can return. But one day the deep will claim us.
Before then, take hold of the quilt of your friends. Don't disparage a single square. Don't find reason to think - oh, this one I can dismiss. It's not pretty or clever or useful enough.
Do this at your peril. For a quilt is a social thing - just like your life.
You cannot lose just one patch of it, without risking all.
I had to go through this in silence and solitude. This course runs even now.
But for a while, I surfaced from an abyss - and your hands were there to raise me back into the living. I don't plan on making such a need happen twice - the ride's not worth the ticket - but it meant the world to feel not just alive and human but part of a larger world.
And to be able to weep tears of gratitude that the world welcomed me back. cskendrick
Winglion Quilts, Sara's and Ann's website, is replete with deeply felt testimonials, including from our own BeninSC.
...In my words ... you will never find an initiative within the Daily Kos community which helps its members as the Community Quilt Project does. Sara and Ann have no hope of becoming wealthy with this project, it is more a labor of love. Still, it is hard work and significant expense is involved. If you can make a contribution to support these pillars of our community, PLEASE do so! It is very important, and you will never find anyone on this site more deserving of your support than them...
...I want to say a few words about the quilt to those who have never experienced such a thing. I have thought about this for some time, and the first thing I thought of was Frosty the Snowman! You see, there must have been ... some magic in ... that old silk hat they found ... For when they placed it on his head ... he began to dance around. (Frosty the Snowman lyrics from here.)
I understand it all too well because I believe without reservation that a quilt like the one I received can be a receptacle for pure magic, channeled by the loving and very focused intent of special human beings. The right experts, such as Sara and Ann, have the ability to incorporate that magic in fabric form, to be conveyed to yet another, very blessed human being. For I assure you, when my quilt arrived on my doorstep, and I unpacked it, like our friend, Frosty, I did indeed begin to dance around!...
Sara R and Ann - our quilting conjurers and Healers. They are the best kind, for they bring out the best in us all by making us part of something larger than ourselves and yet profoundly intimate.
But even the best Healers are not immune from illness, sorrows, and fears. Sara and Ann have had long months full and it has taken a huge toll.
Now it is our turn to help heal the Healers. It is our turn to offer comfort, caring - to be those whispered prayers banishing the dark days.
Peregrine Kate enumerated their struggles over the last long months - Ann's health issues, Sara's care of her, and the resulting financial nightmare.
This past June, we came close to losing Ann to a mysterious infection. The cause of it is probably rat bite fever, though that is a very hard condition to diagnose. It seems likely that she contracted it through her work at a pet store. It was serious enough to cause Ann to develop sepsis, a potentially fatal complication, and it was a near thing for her to recover without permanent organ damage. However, her survival required several days of hospitalization with rounds of heavy-duty IV antibiotics as her body fought off the illness. She is better, for the most part, but her stamina and resistance to other bugs are not what they used to be.
Many of us know from first-hand experience the kind of cascade that gets kicked off by illness. Fortunately, Ann does have health insurance, since Oregon accepted the Medicaid expansion program. (Thanks, Obamacare!) That means her medical bills didn’t break their budget entirely. But even with that, Ann doesn’t get paid time off from her job for illness or recovery; if she doesn’t work, she doesn’t get paid. So for several months now, while she strives to get back to full health, Ann has not been able to put in the hours she once did. (That’s leaving aside the issue of her employer’s cutbacks to staff hours, another significant setback.) While Ann was so ill, Sara was her principal caregiver. That, too, set them back financially since the time given to care (and the emotional wear and tear of such a close call) made it difficult for Sara to continue to make quilts.
Ann and Sara live very frugally. They were fortunate to be able to buy their house in Portland thanks to an inheritance from their parents. This has meant all the difference to them in recent years. Still, they have no cushion in their monthly cash flow even in the best of times. These have not been the best of times. On top of Ann and Sara’s work loss, they’ve had some unusual, extraordinary expenses...
All of which has left them in a precarious and threatening position.
They could lose their home if they can not pay their $4000 property tax bill on the seventeenth of this month.
Thanks to Peregrine Kate, llbear, JekyllnHyde, and so many of you, $1400 has been raised. In order for Sara and Ann to make their tax payment on time, we need to raise another $2,600 in cash donations by Thursday, November 13, 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Paypal requires three days notice before funds can be withdrawn, hence the importance of raising the remaining monies quickly. I have no doubt that we will do so.
Through the years this site has accomplish miracles. Whether it was fundraising for Netroots for the Troops, the Subscription Drive, or helping a fellow member of our on-line family, witnessing this community come together to touch lives has been a deep joy and profound honor to witness.
We are all bearing witness now. We're bearing witness to the magic, love, and wonder embodied in each quilt Sara and Ann have made, and all the lives they have touched.
We're bearing witness to the long dark months Sara and Ann have endured. We are bearing witness to it all and letting them know that they are not alone, just as they have always done for others with their quilts.
...Our DK community surrounded me with healing warmth and love when Sara posted my quilt diary. The messages were so heart-felt that I could FEEL each person's support as I read their words, which I will forever treasure with honor and gratitude.
Sara's and Ann's quilts are a piece of artwork, sewn with love. When I wrap myself in my quilt, there is a magical feeling of community love and energy. The quilt is not just beautiful, but it also feels so good. Sara and Ann took the time to help me find just the right fabric for the backing: abstract flowers with all my favorite colors! It took me hours of looking at fabrics because I wanted to make sure my choice would be just right for the incredible messages sent from our community.
The Community Quilt Project is one of the best projects at Daily Kos. Let's help sustain this gift to our community by remembering to donate, when we can. Helping and supporting each other at Daily Kos is what we do best. Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse
Together, we have always made miracles happen. I know that we are in the midst of creating another one for Sara and Ann - for all of you are the whispered prayer that brings comfort and caring.
All of you will save Sara's and Ann's home. All of you will ensure that quilts will continue to be made for friends, those we love, and perhaps for ourselves. Together - Sara, Ann, all of us, will continue to make magic happen. There could be no larger gift.
Here's How You Can Help
- Send a donation via PayPal PAYPAL DONATION BUTTON HERE (link to "for the quilters").
- Send a donation by check Kosmail Sara R for their snail mail address.
- Send a donation via Square Those of you who have access to it might find it appealing. If that applies to you, please message Sara with the amount and their email and she will send an invoice.
- Purchase a Pootie Pad, a Pootie Pad for Pooches, or a Pootie Pad for People. Their latest diary to publicize their Pootie Pads can be found here. (They're still offering sale prices!)
- Commission a custom quilt, with at least partial pre-payment. Kosmail Sara R to make arrangements.
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12:53 PM PT: To quote Sara -
"I can breathe again, Ono. There are no words!"
You are all part of creating a miracle, just as I knew you would. So far your amazing, generous, caring hearts have raised $3375!! How wonderful is that?! And we're going to keep on making miracles happen and finish raising the entire amount Sara and Ann need to save their home and to be able to "breathe" again. Frankly, I wouldn't mind raising even more than what is needed for their property taxes. If they are strapped for that, god knows what else they are needing. I know how much they will go without in order to keep going. Frankly, I'm tired of it. They deserve far better than that. And we deserve to know that they have a full cupboard. So let's keep the magic flowing, shall we? My god, you are all so utterly wonderful. :D
1:41 PM PT: Look what you have done! We are at $3575! We're so close and I know we will finish this. Let's rock this out! By the way, did you know that Sara is working with a broken computer? Her computer screen is broken. The only way she can use it to post diaries here and keep track of their web site it to run it through their television. Ann's computer is completely down for the count. It's too old to even update anymore. So lets keep this rolling, ok? Lets keep on being the healers for our Healers. Blessings and hugs to you all!
2:07 PM PT: You all deserve to know how
the stress of the last months has taken a big toll on Sara and has not helped Ann's recovery in the least. Sara is now dealing with an auto immune disorder brought about by the stress of nearly losing her sister and the resulting financial difficulties.
What you all are doing is far more than paying a bill.
You're not only saving their home, you are saving their health on multiple levels.
You are making hope real again. I can't think of anything more precious. Thank you so much, wonderful ones.
2:53 PM PT: My dear, wonderful, Dkos community. You are truly miracle workers and life savers.
You have saved Sara's and Ann's home. Over $4200 has been raised due to your caring hearts and generous spirits.
Sara posted this in the comments.
"Ann and I are overwhelmed and so relieved! I cannot thank you guys enough... This has been a very rough year. I cannot say it was bad, though - because my sister survived something that might well have killed her and had no organ damage from it. And thanks to ACA, her medical expenses were covered. But, boy, that experience set us back in other ways.
Thank you for supporting us and allowing us to do this work that fills our hearts. We love you so much and are so grateful."
The reasons Sara says it wasn't "bad" is because Ann survived coming within hours of dying. It was that close and is that simple.
Now all of you have made possible a recovery that Sara and Ann could not have imagined.
I deeply hope you can grasp the wonder of what you have just accomplished.
You have touched Sara's and Ann's lives in the profoundest way. Healers indeed.
Much love, deepest thanks, and all blessings to each and every one of you.
Thu Nov 13, 2014 at 9:05 AM PT: Because of all of you, a new day is dawning for Sara and Ann. The last time I heard from Sara last night, this amazing community of caring hearts had raised almost $4500! But we're not done yet. JekyllnHyde, Peregrine Kate, JoanMar, Laura Clawson, and so many others want to ensure that Sara and Ann have a badly needed cushion. On top of everything else, there are bi-annual bills that have hit them this month. Sara's computer screen is broken and Ann's computer is so old it is unusable. Sara can not continue to post her diaries here or keep working with their web site unless her computer is either repaired or replaced. All of us would love seeing additional contributions and orders come in to bring the total raised to $5000. We are so close to doing just that. Any help you can give to making this ongoing miracle continue is deeply, gratefully, appreciated.
Thu Nov 13, 2014 at 12:27 PM PT: This comment by 4Freedom perfectly illustrates what so many have done to help Sara and Ann. It is why this miracle has unfolded so wonderfully. All of you gave what you could, while wishing it was so much more.
It's the Dkos version of the Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two Fish. :)
Sharing what we could, we ended up with something much larger than we could have imagined.
How beautiful is that?! :D
Thank you so very much for making it all happen.
Tomorrow is my birthday, and we had $20
salted away to get a pizza. Like many others, finances are that tight around our house.
I would rather Sara and Ann have a tiny bit bigger cushion than I would like to have a take-out pizza tomorrow night. Knowing I helped a little more with the sister's financial wellbeing will make my birthday a better day than having that pizza.
Much love to Sara and Ann. They inspire many of us with their talent and generosity. It is a privilege to help make their lives a little easier.
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