Last week I visited my mother and admired a quilt that she had just finished for a great great nephew of mine. I helped her with it, even. It had little boys appliqued in calico, each holding a toy or a treat. I drew the things the boys were holding or playing with.
It was fun to see the art I had drawn, all embroidered on the quilt. And as usual I complimented her on it. We had an okay visit - I helped her locate a ring she though she had lost, ran her over to a feed store for seed potatoes, and took her out for lunch. But after lunch she told me that she wanted a baby quilt back that she had given me when Grayson was born. She said I "guilted" her into giving it to me. I don't even remember having a conversation about baby quilts when Gray was born. Having her make a quilt for him is not even something I would have mentioned to her.
Something about her telling me she wants it back makes me dig my heels in even harder. Because, why? What does an 87 year old person want with a baby quilt she gave to me as a gift? And why wait 18 years to tell me she regretted giving it to me and wants it back? Um, too late.
The short answer was no, but I wrote her a letter today and mentioned the quilt at the end of the letter. I told her I hoped she wasn't serious about wanting it back. That I had it stored away in a safe place awaiting it's future owner - my first grandchild. And I just left it at that. I am hoping we won't have to have words over it. I would never ask for a gift back from a person, because I give gifts with no strings attached. And, things are not love. Love is love. But asking for something back that you gave in love, is like asking for the love back.
No comments:
Post a Comment