Let's Talk

Today I had one of the best phone calls that I have had in a long time.  One of the best friends that I will ever have (and I have never met her in person) gave me a solution to a couple of long standing projects that have been stagnating.  She completely took them off of my hands.  This is one of the biggest reliefs that I have had in a long time.  After our conversation I sat down and cried for ten minuets.  That is how big of a relief this is.

I have been having some problems in my life that have prevented me from doing what I would like to be doing.  Slowing me down so to speak.  This lady has been one of my biggest supporters and not judging.  I don't trust easy and it is easy to judge someone when you don't get to meet them face to face.  She has the same problem and it is amazing that we have become such good friends.  I wish that everyone could know her in the way I get to know her.  I have a feeling that if we do meet in person that we would create so much havoc that our husbands would divorce us.  I think that someone knew what they were doing by placeing us so far away from each other!

We in the stitching community know each other by our postings and emails and by pictures of our work.  Most of us get to know each other pretty well even though we live on the other side of the world from each other.  It is that communication thing even though it is through email.  We also have to remember that by not ever seeing a person face to face we can also damage that person through the email.

I remember one year I participated in a swap.  It was one of the best swaps that I had ever been in.  It was awesome and it almost did not finish.  One of the more respected members of the stitching community that we have on line put out on some of the Yahoo lists that this person was not trust worthy.  It was a mistaken identity so to speak.  It crushed this nice lady who live life through the Internet due to health issues.  Six of us stayed in the swap.  Due to health reasons she did not mail off the swap like she had wanted.  She had been in the hospital when the mail out date came around.  I did have to wait to receive my swap.  I did get it and I am still using stash from that swap.  Beautiful trims and lace.

After the swap this lady being crushed and her reputation ruined in the on-line stitching community she started losing passion for her Crazy Quilting.  She dropped off the lists.  We had become friends and I kept up with her through email.  She passed away last year.  I got to enjoy a friendship by just sticking it out with her and reaching out to her.  I think that I am richer for it.

During my time of having problems my friend has stuck by me often finding solutions to the immediate problems.  Others have not.  They have been quick to judge.  Sending terse emails.  Claiming that they are leaders.  But are judgements and terse emails what leaders do?

My question to you is:  Did you throw your nose in the air and judge?  Did you say things that were not very nice?  Is this what makes a leader?

WHAT MAKES A LEADER?

Did anyone ever think to contact me to ask what in the world is going on?  Do you care about others as a leader should or are you out for your own gain?  Your own fame and recognition?  Even if you are not a leader do you see something that is not right and judge or do you even think to reach out to see what is going on and ask if you can help?  Are you a doer and thinker or do you just want to follow gossip and judge others thinking that is your right?

In writing this post I am putting the past behind me and with the help of a friend am completing two long over due projects.  I am looking forward to the future and where my art will take me.

TTFN
The Lion