Notes from a Sojourn
March 30, 2020
Perspective
A few years ago, I tried my hand at cross-stitch. Being inexperienced at the art form, I used a kit, which included a printed canvas pattern and all the coloured wool that would be needed. The stitches themselves were simple. To be honest, the entire project is just a series of coloured X's. By the end, there would be several thousand of these stitches. Individually, the stitches have little impact. Together, they carry more meaning.
It took me a while but the project turned out pretty well. After doing it once, I decided to stitch another. I recruited some other folks in the congregation and we ended up with a whole set of kneeler cushions for the chapel at Christ Church. When they are seen together, the individual stitches seem even less technically impressive. The significance comes from their consistency and number.
Most of us will have very few actions that draw attention to our lives on a large scale. Realistically, most of us are not likely to become heroes of our time, or become famously important in any way. Our days are like simple stitches.
There is diversity, colour, story, and beauty to our canvas. Our individual perspectives and experiences inform the stitches of our lives. But the full impact is seen from a much wider perspective.
Sometimes I think we confuse the smallness of our daily life with insignificance. Could there be a wider perspective that can help us appreciate the impact of our lives' stitches?
Patrick+
