It's something Mum had wanted to do for ages, she'd always been a good knitter but had never had a go at cross stitch - she loved trying new things; said it kept her mind alert (there were few brighter than my Mum.)

So she bought a couple and off she went.

Yesterday I was clearing through some more things, and came across one of her cross stitch pieces, it was one she'd never got around to finishing due to failing health, and even though I'd said to her I'd try to help her complete it, I'd sadly never found the time. Now she's no longer here, I've felt guilt and sadness every time I see it. Why didn't I make time; try harder to finish it for her? I came to the conclusion that I would finish it, in her memory, but even that evoked too many emotions. So I kept putting it to one side, promising myself that one day I would finish this (and other) pieces...

Yesterday a light was switched on. All negatives lifted. My hubby and I were going through a pile of things and we came across 2 of her pieces, one being the unfinished piece. My hubby said "Well it looks finished to me." I looked closer. Mum had completed more than I'd remembered (probably because before I'd been looking at it with a slightly negative slant.) Now I was seeing it through fresh eyes, optimistic eyes, eyes that were seeing the beauty of what had been completed rather than what had not.

"It's rather beautiful as it is don't you think?" I mused

"It is." hubby replied "I thought it was finished when I first looked."

And you know something? It is beautiful. The colours of the flowers are vibrant, and there is raw quality to it, brought about by the fact that it is 'complete in its in-completion'...

We're often seen as incomplete for one reason or another; lack of prospects, lack of fitness or some other reason... Perhaps part of our picture is not yet fully covered, but our picture is still the most gorgeous, individual expression of who we are, even if it's changed a bit along the years! Maybe we are all complete, in our glorious in-completion...

I've decided I'm going to find the most beautiful mount and frame Mum's Unfinished Masterpiece, because to me it is perfect... just the way it is. I'm going to celebrate all the hours of work already gone into it, rather than mourn what may be missing. It will be a celebration of all that's different in this world, for all of us who are proud to have a few stitches missing and yet still face the world (most of the time) with our picture being fairly recognisable.

Here's to all our unfinished masterpieces, let's embrace them for what they are rather than look to make them perfect; in a way that's often not even needed.

Rosemary

A Moodscope member.