Spontaneous Reaction at QuiltCon (4 of 6)

I was once involved with a group which included an individual that didn’t say much. It was obvious that they were engaged and very aware of what was going on, but they were quiet, unassuming, and thoughtful. The thing that impressed me most about this person was that, when they chose to speak, the conversation stopped short and everyone gave space for them to share. I’ve often thought of this individual when feeling pressure to join in on a conversation. When circumstances call for it, I’ve tried to emulate this unhurried, measured approach in order to think things through; choosing words and phrases judiciously for clarity in presenting my perspective.

Ten years ago, those words didn’t include expletives or profanity. That was a conscious choice. But a lot has happened in the world and our country since then. There are times when stringing words together don't seem as effective at expressing the emotions of the moment as a single word. 

As I was walking through a row at QuiltCon I came upon Audrey Esarey’s quilt, “All Out of Fucks,” just in time to hear someone from a party of three exclaim, “Is that really necessary?!” 

Since I've adapted my old friend's strategy of a well-placed comment for the greatest impact, for a split second I thought of responding to her reaction. But then I remembered the other part of the lesson: you don't need to speak. So full of indignation was she that anything I would add to this discussion would fall on deaf ears. I moved on.  

However, my answer is “Yes!” Yes, sometimes it is necessary and a single word from an unexpected source, (maybe a quilter?) or at an unexpected time, (like at a warm and fuzzy quilt show) can say more that paragraphs of words. 

Sometimes one word fits the bill.

I see you Audrey

By the way, impeccable execution, as always.