Last Saturday, we held a dedication of the new seating area created on Patchwork’s front lawn in memory of Alan Winslow, Beth Stone, and Darlene Blagg. We also dedicated a magnolia tree planted in our garden in memory of Helen Templeton. A wonderful mix of folks gathered as a community to celebrate the new space and to bless it on behalf of all who will sit on the benches and enjoy the view.
In the time since the dedication, it’s been heartwarming to see how much of a blessing this seating area has been to everyone visiting Patchwork. The benches are located in a pleasantly shaded spot by our front doors, and all week long whenever I looked outside, people were sitting on them and chatting with one another. I never realized how welcome an additional seating area by our front door would be until I saw how quickly this one has become so well used and so well loved.
It’s a peaceful spot. It’s a beautiful spot. It’s a spot that encourages contemplation. It’s a spot that encourages conversation. It’s a spot that encourages community. It’s a spot that engenders much of who Alan, Beth, and Darlene were. It’s perfect.
As part of the dedication, John read Mary Oliver’s poem “In Blackwater Woods.” The text of the poem can be found here. I’ll share the final stanzas below. I invite you to stop by Patchwork and think on them as you sit on the new benches, and then, perhaps, to chat with someone about what you think.
To live in this world
you must be able to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it
against your bones knowing
your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go,
to let it go.
Many thanks to artist Helen Pope for creating the mural that is part of the seating area and to Twymon Art Gallery for coordinating the mural project.
As was observed at the dedication, the mural is composed of many layers, giving it depth—much like the lives of the people it honors.