The big picture

I'm just back from a trip to Rwanda. We listened to the stories of women affected by war and HIV/Aids. Not very pretty stories and it broke my heart to imagine what these women went through. Yet in sharing their stories I sensed a strong sense of hope and joy. Through counselling and learning to rebuild their lives through education and job security, these women have become strong leaders in their families and communities. Beauty has risen from the ashes!
I never liked to use black in my quilts, but I have learned that sometimes black is the best colour to offset colourful fabrics. Somehow the dark seems to accentuate the colours, makes them stronger.
We shouldn't fight or ignore the pain and the horror of real life. We shouldn't focus solely on those times or the good times either. Even in dark times there are little sparks of hope and joy. When you look at the big picture you see that they need each other and even bring out the beauty and best in both.