The Chore of Unpicking

A very slow

And precise activity.

Not to mention how much time it can consume!

One by one and it all becomes undone.

But be careful, if care is not taken then more than the stitch is taken away!

Although I speak of the chore, challenge and task of unpicking a sewing project, I have come to learn so much more from this mundane job. Allow me to explain.

My recent project was put together rather easily, bonded nicely under the sewing machine, and from what I could see it looked perfect. A great job had been achieved. I was becoming very proud of my newly created quilt.

That was……. until the last stitch was done and the reverse side was viewed!

Oh what a let down, there were puckers where they were not meant to be, bits had gotten caught where they should not have and the overall appearance not at all like it was on the visible side.

And then came the reminder/lesson……Although the inconsistency of the reverse side was not seen till this time, it was still there. And let’s face it, for a professional and acceptable job to be done, this meant only one thing.

Some serious time was to be spent unpicking the guilty stitches.

It was during this time that I began to relate this to my emotional life, after all I had plenty of thinking time with such a time consuming task before me.

The task of unpicking is one that takes time to complete properly, with each stitch causing a bit more weakness on the material, and needing the individual attention to be pulled up correctly in the right direction. This all occurred in a reasonable time frame, as it should with the use of the purpose-designed tool. The project was then at a point where it would be given another chance at becoming all it was designed to be.

I relate this to my life how?

The wrong choices, decisions, friendships or events that I have participated in. Each of these has come with relevant consequences some of which have caused some required ‘unpicking’.

This is the process where I have had to take the time to reflect on what I could have said or done differently, how I could have handled the situation in an alternative manner and caused a very different effect, thus making any failure a lesson.

The unpicking of these emotions and hurt can also pull away a part of me, making me feel more vulnerable and weaker in a particular area; this is displayed in my being cautious and hesitant to open up again. Although this can help to make me a stronger person in some areas, it requires an inner strength like no other and as it is a very tiring experience, it is often one that I would rather choose to avoid.

Yet if these areas are not dealt with and given the time to heal, then I am very unlikely to open myself up to life again, and this is also not a choice I wish to make.

And so the ‘unpicking’ of an experience is necessary for long-term growth, benefits and blessings. And as I allow this process the time required, I am able to gather life long lessons and am given a new start. I then become closer to being all that I was designed to be.

And so, the next time I am unpicking my sewing errors, I will be reminded of the necessity and blessing of such a chore, and it will be then that I am reminded to be thankful for the hurts and disappointments life has brought my way.

In addition, I am so grateful for the amazing friendships that have travelled the journey of ‘unpicking’ with me.

And… my project turned out beautifully!

Deb
Xx