The Long Arc of Kindness

Recently I was teaching at Vermont Quilt Festival. As I was setting up for my first class, one of my students walked up to me and said "Hi, RaNae, my name is Helen. I'm your class helper.  Do you remember exchanging a book for a Christmas tree about 10 years ago?" 

10 years ago -- actually 11 -- I had just published my first book, Simply Amazing Spiral Quilts. It was Christmas time and Christmas tree vendors had just begun to show up on street corners and outside grocery stores in New York City where I live. I really wanted a tree, but cash was a little thin. 

One evening on my way out of the grocery store I stopped to chat with the Christmas tree guys. The conversation turned to quilting, and one of the guys mentioned that his mother was a quilter. Hmm.... "Would you consider trading one of my books for a Christmas tree?" I asked. "Sure," he replied, "my mom would love that."

Well, Helen was that mom, and I was delighted to get to meet her 11 years after she got that book.