The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

50 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 3 to fasten the material under the needle of the machine and press the pedal at just the right time and in just the right way. By making the quilt with my mom, I learned all about choosing color schemes and working with fabric and thread. At the end of the project, I had gained more than just knowledge-- I had gained a new quilt! A few years later when I was in middle school, my mom took me and my brother and sisters on what I still think of as a fateful trip to our local library. We were always requesting things online that were sent to our library for pick-up. When my mom went to the front desk to collect our stack of various requested books and movies, she brought back a book for me on how to crochet. “You’re always telling me you want to learn,” she said as she handed me the book. To this day, I cannot remember ever telling my mom that I wanted to learn how to crochet. Something tells me she was actually thinking, “I’ve always wanted you to learn how to crochet.” Regardless of the fact that the crocheting book was unsolicited, it sparked an interest in me and has led to many, many baby blankets, teddy bears, hats, scarves, and afghans. My mother obviously knows me better than I know myself and her insight and enterprise to introduce me to crocheting was the catalyst for one of the things that has become not just a source of happiness for me, but a way to minister to others with heartfelt, handmade gifts. Crocheting is not the only creative outlet that my mom nudged me toward without my prompting. At the end of ninth grade, my mom mentioned a florist shop about thirty minutes from our home, whose owner was a personal friend of my grandmother. She asked if I would like to go there for a day and “shadow” the ladies there and learn what I could. Of course, I said yes. So, my grandmother asked her friend if I could come and help out for a day. She said she would love to have me. I was ecstatic! The appointed day rolled around, and I willingly and hopefully walked into that florist shop wearing my favorite plaid shirt and daisy earrings --my “lucky” outfit, you might say. Fresh flowers and silk flowers, candles and cards, gifts, vases, jars, pretty little things of all sorts, and every color of ribbon you can imagine filled every inch of the shop. The ladies at the florist were so hospitable and kind. They showed me all around the shop and taught me about the different flowers, flower care and processing, making bows, setting up arrangements, and many other things that are part of the floral industry. I also got