The Heritage

Today I finished an apron for my Grandmother. She offered to pay me to make it, this lady who taught me most of what I know when it comes to the sewing machine. The one who has a cabinet full of aprons, saw a reproduction apron I made for someone and wanted one.
She wore the one I fashioned for my sister when she stayed at my parents. Grandma, who showed me how beautiful wearing an apron could be. How the pocket always held a tissue and sometimes a coveted piece of mint gum.
And as I sat there creating this reproduction apron for my eighty-eight year old grandma, I thought back to a day about a year ago. The sisters and I were at Grandma's for something that escapes my memory now, but Grandma was here and she opened her pie safe full of those treasured aprons. My eyes get teary now thinking about it, because I was fighting tears then too. She told us to pick out whatever apron we wanted, to take them now because no one else will really care about them when she is gone. It was like she was willing these sacred aprons to us but we received them before she is gone. This woman has 9 children, over 35 grandchildren, and I forget how many great grandchildren  at the present, but we three were the ones that she allowed to dig through her lovingly worn aprons and pick the one we loved the best.



I chose the long navy and white one. I remember when she made it and I remember loving wearing it when I was a teenager and would help her in the kitchen, whether it was baking 10 pies for a holiday or frying up a mess of friend chicken for supper. And that full length apron is worn by me now. I hope I can live up to it's potential, to maybe be half of the woman of God that the previous owner was. To feed bodies at the well worn table, but also feed souls, nurture souls who come into my home.
I know she wants us to wear them. I will not put her apron on display like an idol or memorial, what is the point? It needs to be worn and carry on the lovin' that's been given for years and years. And when the apron is too worn to be used to protect clothing, wipe tears, and hold treasures in the pocket it will become patches in a quilt that maybe will last centuries. It's only fitting since the grandmother who gave me the apron is the first one who put a quilting needle in my hand and show me how to make those tiny stitches.

So tomorrow I hand deliver the apron to the Grandma who doesn't need me to fashion her an apron, but loves the ones I make so much that she asked me to make her one. And people will be fed and nurtured while she is in it.