Precious Items

I just read a lovely blog post from "A Designers Tale" blogger, Lory, who recently lost a dear friend that she purchased many of her furniture pieces from.  Those pieces are very special to her and she will always treasure them.  I don't have many sentimental or special pieces of furniture or artwork in my home.  But two years ago, I was given artwork from a neighbor that I did not know before January 13, 2013.  This family consisted of a husband, wife, and 5 year old son.  The family moved to the US from China, California, and then Arkansas.  On that cold day in January 2013, my neighbor's wife left her home around 8:00 am with her 5 year old son in the back seat.  Her vehicle slid on black ice and went into one of the retention ponds in my neighborhood.  Sadly, the mother died that day and the son passed away in January 2015.  Unfortunately, he was in a vegetative state for the remainder of his life. 

The father wanted to move out of the house because he was so grief stricken.  I got to know him while his son was in the hospital.  When my neighbor was packing up his house, he offered me four pictures of needle point artwork that his wife made.  I told him that I could not accept that and he needs to keep it for his own memories.  He said it was too painful for him to keep. So, I took the artwork home and the pictures sat in my closet for two years.  I wasn't sure how I could use the artwork in my house.  His wife did four needle point pictures of the four seasons: winter, summer, spring, and fall.  The needle point pattern is Asian, and I don't have anything that closely resembles anything Asian in my house.  A few weeks ago, I was putting away boots and other winter items and I saw the pictures in my closet.  I decided to hang them in my dining room.  I had space on both sides of my buffet table, so I hung them there.  I don't know why it took me so long to hang this artwork, but I am so glad I did.  I think they look lovely in my dining room.  Although I never met the artist, I am grateful to have this artwork. 

Here is how my dining room looked before the artwork was hung:

Here is how the dining room looks after:

Thanks for the inspiration Lory!