The Loom 

I am the branches, gathered from the childhood home, where the children explored, laughed, played, and found comfort.   I will remain, a strong and silent support for the story that has been and will continue to be woven. 

The Warp 

I am the self, the constant, always there, underneath everything.  I am at home in nature, when creating and when I find connection to the divine.   I am made with ivories, soft blue-greens, and purples.   

The Weave 

I was early entering into this world, surrounded by a family like the ocean, who at times rocked you gently like the waves on the quiet sea, and other times tossed you about like the stormy waters causing you to want to hold on tight to something. Inside the weave there are joys and sorrows.  There are periods of being grounded in self, and those in which the self receded to find safety. The solace and awe found in nature is woven within, a shell, a twig, birchbark.  Gratitude for these things always.  Some of the yarn is strong, others are fragile, easily frayed, with tiny threads being caught within the weaving, jumping from one place in time to another, nearby or far away, making connections, some are welcomed, others are not. I relate.  I wove tightly, though I tried to have a lighter softer hand.  I could pause and release some of the tension by strumming along the warp, a metaphor perhaps on connecting, recalibrating and welcoming in the self.  

The Reflections 

Creating the loom from branches found in my childhood home, allowed reflection on the origins of my deep connection to the woods and to nature.  I felt called to tie natural elements throughout the weaving process.  The loom, though strong enough now to hold the woven story, was quite fragile at first, taking three attempts to assemble it in a way that allowed it to hold the warp.  I noticed a back and forth of letting go as things emerged in ways I didn’t intend or expect and going back to rework/redo if something was going to compromise the structure and strength of the loom or woven story.  As a novice weaver, I found that the more I worked, the easier it was to try new things, perhaps to allow myself to play a little.   I noticed the desire to reflect repeated patterns that arise in my life as I wove, as well as to represent the transitions out of these patterns, as we continue to grow along our journeys. 

When I look at this loom, at this woven story, I see myself, I hear my voice.