They’re mesmerizing—these quilts of Gee’s Bend.
Created by hand in a small rural community nestled into a curve in the Alabama River southwest of Selma, dozens and dozens of stunning covers were pieced by women who mostly share the same last name—after Mark Pettway who bought the Joseph Gee estate in 1850. Following the Civil War the freed slaves took the name Pettway, became tenant farmers for the Pettway family, and founded an all-black community nearly isolated from the surrounding world.
Two friends of mine have been fighting sleep for weeks. Desperately wanting to drift off as their heads hit the pillow, they just can’t.They’re in misery. Our bodies are designed for rest and quiet to restore, replenish, and recharge. They’ve tried warm baths, herbal tea, SleepWorks (great stuff, normally), and reading. But at 2 a.m. they’re still awake–minds darting to and fro.
Their bleary-eyed tossing leaves me sad. I’ve prayed for their rest and shared with them this little poem, which has been a gentle reminder for me throughout the years when I’ve found myself desperate for sleep but allowing my worries and fears to swirl untethered.
If you dream of leisurely, sun-filled afternoons for jotting your thoughts in your journal but spend more of your time racing from one activity to the next, maybe try “listing yourself” instead. Just like making a grocery list or recording what you have to do today, list making is easy.
You don’t have to pour your heart out, record your days, or pass judgment. Yet you can quickly open the doors to your soul and reveal your deepest thoughts. For starters, try writing down everything that comes to mind with some of these lists:
It stared back at me from the glossy pages of the dance costume catalog–a gold lame and sequin-encrusted number with a fitted, bejeweled bodice. Its long sleeves and crystal-edged skirt would be the perfect backdrop (so said my tap dance teacher) for the accompanying feather boa, completing the ensemble. 
He had selected the outfit for our two numbers in the upcoming recital. Since one was the big production song “Buenos Aires” from Evita, he had made a good choice. I just wasn’t so sure how I’d look in this get-up. And I still couldn’t believe that this class of adults actually would perform…in a recital. Aren’t recitals for kids and their camera-toting parents?
We didn’t watch much football at our house when I was growing up—maybe if the Ohio State Buckeyes played in the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl game or if our family invited friends over to watch the Super Bowl championship. 
So I was like a fish out of water after college when friends gathered to watch the sport. Mainly there for the fun and interaction, I didn’t pay much attention to what was happening on the field. But everyone was into it, and I was left out. Listening to what my friends said while spectating, I started asking questions about why they said what they did. Not surprisingly I began to learn more about the rules…and actually enjoy the game.