By Lee Scott
There was a woman ahead of me in the hallway at our local community center the other morning. She was walking slowly and then stopping. It was then I realized she was looking at the display of Christmas quilts made by the local quilting club.
I walked up next to her and we both started to comment on the beauty of each of the quilts. There were wreaths and placemats, large bed quilts and throws.
They were extraordinary, each with a colorful Christmas theme designed by the quilter.
As we stood there, “ooohhhing” and “aahhing” the assortment of quilt hangings, I said to her, “I love to look at these, but I really do not have the desire to learn to do it myself.”
“Oh well,” she responded. “The world needs admirers. And we are admirers.”
I was struck by her comment because it is so true. The world is full of various artists: photographers, painters and designers, talented individuals who entertain us with their work.
There are so many things I marvel at, but have no earthly interest to do, like playing a musical instrument. My spouse performed in an orchestra when he was in high school. He loved to play an instrument and enjoyed learning the music. I, on the other hand, just wanted to sit in the audience and listen.
I find so much joy in closing my eyes and hearing piano and violin duets in concert. And yet, I never took lessons as a child even though both my parents played the piano and loved to sing along.
This admiration theme also reminds me of an event I attended recently.
The garden club I belong to set up a festive luminary night in our community. The small buildings were decorated with greenery and wrapped with white lights. The tables were beautifully covered with pine cones, holly and candles.
A local choir from Bethesda Christian Church sang. It was spectacular. I sat there that night listening to the music, admiring the decorations put together by my friends, Nancy and Cindy (along with a bunch of their elves) and eating homemade biscuits and brownies, and I recalled how much I had admired everything the volunteers had contributed. Although there were numerous kudos to the organizers after the event ended, I think they were pleased just to see people like me enjoying themselves that night.
Now I understand what my friend Roberta was saying in the community center that morning.
There is nothing wrong with being one of those people who sits back and admires. We cannot all be singers, bakers, creative designers or quilters. And as she reminded me, “The world needs admirers.”
