The power of being unique
Recently, I attended a three day quilting retreat. (Yes I am a quilter, in fact I LOVE to quilt!) For those of you that have never attended a quilting retreat, let me give you a little glimpse of what it looks like. Imagine a big conference room filled with tables, sewing machines, ironing boards and cutting mats. This room is very busy and a bit cluttered. It is host to 20-30 women who have gathered from all walks of life to do the one thing they have in common, create beauty. Now lets be honest, isn't that what quilting is? Quilting is a form of art, it is about creating something beautiful. From choosing the pattern, to picking the perfectly coordinated fabric colors, placing them just right in each unique block. Quilting is a lot of work, that takes many many hours and yet can be very enjoyable and relaxing. During the three days, there is lots of sewing happening, lots of talking, and of course lots of laughing. New friends are made, old friends are strengthened. There is a magical feeling of accomplishment, acceptance, friendship and laughter felt during those three days.
Near the end of the three days, women are showing off the quilts and projects they have been busily creating. I probably saw 30 or more different quilt tops and projects that weekend. Each time a finished project would be shown, everyone stopped working to admire the accomplishment. Of all the quilts I saw no two were alike, each was vastly different. Some had bright colorful fabrics, others were made of reproduction civil war, darker fabrics. Some quilts were blues, others had every color of the rainbow. There were patterns of flowers, rainboots, hats, flags, beaches, zoo animals just to name a few. No two quilts were alike, yet each quilt was stunning and beautiful in its own unique light.
“We are all unique. We are all beautiful. We are all loved.”
If you were to ask me what what was my favorite, or which one was the most beautiful I don't think I could have given an answer. As I was surrounded by the beauty and talent of all these women I was hit with the powerful truth of all creation. Just as each quilt was stunning and completely different from one another so it is with us. Each person you encounter is vastly unique. There are no two people alike, even twins are different and unique in their own way. Yet each person is beautiful. We are each works of arts to the one being who has created us. Just as a quilt is carefully created by choosing patterns, fabric colors and block placement, each person was carefully and uniquely created with specific talents, goals, desires, traits and abilities.
I have made many quilts over the years. And I will say I truly love each and every one. There is a special place in my heart for each quilt that I have spent hours and hours working on. In that room of 30 women I could also see the same love and pride they had for each of their accomplishments. It is the same for you and I. We have each been designed and created by a loving Creator. Our Creator knows each and every one of us, holds each of us in the highest love and affection, only as a perfect Creator can. We are each unique. We each have potential that is beyond our imaginations. I am different from my neighbors, my children, my siblings, and every other person I see on social media and youtube.
We as individuals are each unique, blessed with talents and abilities that are unique to us. When I go on social media it is so easy to get caught up in what other people portray. Their perfect homes, their perfectly curated outfits and seemingly perfect life. It is easy to think "oh they really have it together, while I am such a mess." It is so easy to get caught comparing myself to others, and in turn feeling bad about what I don't have or what I can't do. This way of thinking is a trap, intentionally designed to bring us down. Their success does not take away from my success. I can't compare myself to what I see on social media, just as I can't compare my neighbors yard, or house to my own yard or house. Just like I couldn't begin to compare the quilts in that room. I couldn't compare and I couldn't judge. I could only sit back and admire each unique quilt for the beauty it held.
That, my friend was my great epiphany that week. Just as I couldn't compare all those works of art I would ask that you don't compare yourself to any other person. Don't compare your uniqueness to that of another whether it be a friend, family member, neighbor or some stranger on you tube. Don't fall into the trap of comparing and wondering who is the best? Who is the most beautiful? Because that is a false way of thinking. The truth is, there is no comparison from one person to the next. We are all unique. We are all beautiful. We are all loved. There is no "best" and there can be no judging of people. There can only be love, acceptance and understanding for all of Gods unique creations. Remember that my friend.
Todays challenge: Write a list of all the things that make you unique. What are your gifts? Your talents? Your abilities? I promise you have them. Look at that list and be grateful for the beauty God has created within you.