My blanket is made
of soft, vanilla-colored velour. The cloth is full of memories
waiting to be recollected. The cloth is an original, handmade
piece of art. It depicts the story of my life.
My family is like my
comfort food; they're always there to fall back on in times of
emergency. They are my first square. Each person is drawn is a
vivid, bright color. My grandparents stand in the middle. My mom-moms
are peacock blue, since they are the centerpieces of both sides
of my family. Pop-pop and Gramps stand attentively at their sides
and are illustrated in a vibrant green. Surrounding them are my
numerous aunts and uncle in a various shades of yellow and gold.
Amongst this second generation are my mom and dad who appear in
bright blue. This deep blue is a very distinctive color and represents
faithfulness. Next come my cousins, sister and I sitting at the
bottom. We are shown in different hues of red and orange. My family
is the base of my life because they have and always will be there
for me.
The patch following
that depicts my first memory: the vegetable garden. My sister
and I are around two and three in age. My father is kneeling down
picking fresh tomatoes and cucumbers for supper. Radiant red and
orange tomatoes decorate the vine-covered plant stands. I am standing
there in my swimsuit with a goofy smile exploding across my face.
Fresh fruit and vegetables lie on the ground waiting to be washed
and served for a delicious summer meal.
The next square is
joyous and depressing at the same time. My cousin Amy is swinging
me around the living room while she baby-sits me one night. The
square shows a black and white close-up of her smiling face. This
box is one resounding memory of Amy. She died a few weeks later.
Pale blue tears form a border around the box. They are tears both
cheerful and mournful because I loved her and miss her.
A fourth box has only
a hand and a bar in it. The silver rod is the top of a swing set
in my best friend's backyard. It was a scorching afternoon in
late July; you can see the damp bar and the sweat on the hand.
My friends and I were playing a challenge course game on Chrissy's
jungle gym. While halfway across bar, that hand slipped. A poor,
little six-year-old crashed down six feet and knocked out her
two front teeth. That poor little girl was me.
A few years later,
I enrolled in Cab Calloway. Luckily, I made the cut. This fifth
square shows a classroom. Each desk is a different color and represents
a different subject. The first desk symbolizes my major, Communication
Arts. It has a laptop and a notebook in lemon yellow. To me, the
yellow illustrates the opportunity and fun involved in that subject.
A perky teal novel rests on the English desk near the classical
violet history textbook on the next seat. A lime green health
binder and spunky orange math book lie on the next two desks.
School is a major part of my life. It's a lot of work, but sometimes
it's enjoyable.
These squares are stitched together
in durable, powder blue thread. They tell of joyous and gloomy
times throughout my life. They show what keep me going and what
supports me. These patches illustrate my life. Apart they are
just lonely memories, but together the patches form an extraordinary
and unique portrait of my life.
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