 | Something Quirkier |
L: What does ‘small blessing’ mean to you?
B: Clear blue sky, sunshine, on a cold winter’s day. Makes you feel warm and happy.
SS, Canberra.
11.1 A fish made for the installation ‘Delighted. Fish designed and made by Bron from felt made by Lynn.
See the fish in action here.
L: If I say ‘small blessing’ to you, what does it mean?
B: Appreciating the small things in life. Taking time to take note of how lovely it is to walk along the Canberra bike path and not have to cross a road to get to the creek. Just take a moment.
L: Do you have a story you can share?
B: When lockdown first started, and none of us knew what services would be available or how life would look in the short term and I had all these plans for what I would do during lock down and my rubbish bin was quite full – I had been clearing stuff out. And when I took it out I thought “Oh my goodness, if my garbage man can’t come and empty this, what will I do? I’ll have to rethink everything”. So when I heard him driving down the road I was just so grateful that he was able to come to work and do his job, And I remember thinking and sending good vibes out to him as he drove past.
L: So when you retell this story, how do you feel?
B: I do get a bit emotional as we all know it was a tricky time, it was weird, and we were all finding our way … it was like the nurses…you were just so grateful for them going to work.
Bron, Canberra.
Awaiting a creative response.
L: What does ‘small blessings’ mean to you?
B: Sometimes little unexpected treat. Something that just sparks you. Just makes you feel kind of special
L: Can you share a story about a small blessing?
B: I’ve always been a knitter – I knitted since I was about six. I was knitting jumpers in primary school for my little siblings and I used to knit with my grandmother and my mother.
One of my friends made me a pair of socks, this year, the most beautiful pair of socks. And I realised I had been knitting for everyone for sixty odd years and this was one of the first knitted things that was given to me. And so I just felt… it was that same feeling of being… oh, what a precious friend to give you a lovely, knitted pair of socks. It was gorgeous. I was very moved.
L: So if you were going to sum up how you feel about the story, what word would you use?
B: Gratitude.
Story told by Bess, Canberra.
Awaiting a creative response.
K: So I was teaching yesterday in class and one of my year one students said “Sensei, Sensei, once I discovered drawing…. Drawing just filled my heart, I just have to draw.”
Kratai, Canberra.
Anne has made many tiny hearts from felt to place in the gifting bowl in the gallery.
A: At Pambula Beach, last year, for the ‘Wanderer Music Festival, we had a wet day.
L: Really wet?
A: Really wet. It was so muddy. I tend to be a bit klutzy. As I was walking up an embankment, I, along with others, slipped in the mud and went down the embankment. I had mud over my shoes which meant my shoes and my socks all had to go in the bin. Because it went on the lower part of my legs, all of my jeans were muddy. I went back to my car, and back to my accommodation to change. The owner of the accommodation* saw me and kindly offered me the laundry and free detergent. I did end up throwing up the shoes (but I had spares. A good tip – always have spares). So he also offered me the clothes dryer which I was so grateful for. And then I went happily back to the festival in clean clothes.
L: So you weren’t expecting to use the laundry facilities?
A: I didn’t even know they had a laundry facility on site.
L: That’s a blessing.
A: It was a blessing. They were such personable people, and I felt like they were friends when I left.
L: So when you think about this story, how do you feel?
A:I feel that I made friends in an unexpected way in a fabulous environment.
As told by Anne.
Awaiting a creative response.