I wanted to make a garland or a banner for my mother’s 70th birthday party. I wanted something unique that involved her twelve grandchildren in someway. I thought maybe silhouettes of each grandchild’s profile, large hearts with hand written notes or a mural of some kind.
We already made a scrapbook where each grandchild had a page they could color and write something they liked about Grandma with their pictures in it as well. So, (late at night) I kept on thinking.
I thought of how mothers like to have a snapshot of their children at certain time periods; pencil markings of height climbing up a wall, a little envelope with wisps of a first haircut, and a tiny handprint in plaster. These items are reminders of moments, fleeting moments, when at the time, they seemed like endless hours. Once they pass, we can’t go back and recreate those moments. They are forever etched in time.
That’s when I got the idea of hands. I decided to trace the hands of each grandchild onto colorful paper, cut them out and string them along a pretty ribbon! A snapshot of all of her grandchildren’s hands at this moment of their lives!
My mother has kissed, walked with and held all these hands many days and nights.
She has also helped teach these hands to clap, put puzzle pieces together, use scissors, paint, draw, set the table, tie shoes strings, zip a zipper, fold in prayer, sew, plant seeds, follow words in a book, refrain from touching a window, play Rummikub and Bananagrams, cook, play the piano, love and hug!
These hands are not entirely separate for my mother.
She will forever be a part of what these hands do.
And I wanted her to see that in this Garland of Love!
Thanks, Mom, for helping all my boys so much!
