Birds of Sorrow: Our Blessing of the Messenger (AAQI)

"You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair". 

-- Old Chinese Proverb

I have received so many heart touching emails since I began blogging about the loss of my mother on September 8th.  I want you all to know that you are in my thoughts, and in my prayers.

None of us can stop the birds of sorrow's journey, nor their flying over our own heads. But we can, indeed, prevent them from building nests in our own hair!

My hair is 36" long. Or it was,  before I was blowing leaves off of my back deck in August preparing for the arrival of  family from Alaska, and my daughter's wedding.

You can probably guess what I did.  I bent over to blow leaves off the stone pathway off of our deck and my long braid fell into the air intake valve. I was caught! And no one was home for me to holler for help and I couldn't get me free no matter how I twisted and tugged on my hair!

I did pull out the power cord and stopped further damage. But it was quite the experience. And yes, I did finally pull my hair loose, bit by bit, by bit. It was a long, hard process. And just like all lessons, they take a while to learn .

I previously did this with a hand held Dirt Devil (that little devil!) vacuum cleaner under my sewing machine table in my sewing nook! It was a lot harder to pull its power cord free from the outlet or to reach its on/off button.  And oh, the hair that broke off from that long ponytail, then!

Such are all of  the losses of our lives that we go through.  Some are small but still hurt, and others are so large that all you can do is wish and pray that you could go back in time and redo everything!

Thinning hair from my own actions is now laughable. Laugh at me, too! Because I am ok. my thinning, and shortened braid is ok, and we will all be ok in the end!

We just have to learn an awful lot of lessons the hard way....

Think of me, my journey, and how the birds of sorrow now have a lot less hair to nest in!


 14,998 - Blessings Of The Messenger (Houston) 

Michele Bilyeu
Salem, OR USA
Width: 7.5" Length: 8"

Materials/Techniques: Batik fabrics with raw edge applique, free motion quilting, sequins and beading.

Artist Statement: I have been inspired, as well as blessed, by a pair of doves that have returned to our garden year after year. I eagerly await their return, knowing that they not only symbolize peace everlasting, but also eternal love.

Dedication: For all of who us who have faced, or will face, the challenges of Alzheimer's disease. May we always be messengers of love.

My small format art quilt #14,998, shown above, is titled "Blessings of the Messenger" and will be going to the Houston International Quilt Festival as part of my Liberated Quilting Challenge  to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI)  All profits from the sale of all of my quilts fund Alzheimer's Research.  Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!