Block to Begin Again

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long or why I’ve avoided even stepping into my craft room since my dad’s passing. It’s not that I’ve been keeping away because of grief, exactly. Life has just been so full, and finding the courage to rediscover joy in the things I once loved hasn’t been easy.

This quilt block is the first one I’ve made since then. The funny part is, it wasn’t hard at all. I had already cut and laid out most of the pieces long ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to commit to finishing it. I don’t even know why.

Now that it’s done, though, I feel like I’ve crossed a threshold. I’d been stuc, really stuck and this small finish feels like a turning point. I was able to complete something I love again. Just last week, I painted for the first time too, while we were up in the mountains. I painted the ocean view from our condo in Hawaii. It was breathtaking in June, and I can’t wait to go back.

This block comes from the Plum Fusion Block of the Month kit I bought last June in Virginia. My original goal was to finish it by this June for our anniversary but that’s okay. I’m picking it back up now and will work through the blocks at my own pace. No more beating myself up over unfinished projects or letting them hold me back.

The truth is, I’ve struggled with endings for years. I’ll binge-watch a series for seasons on end, but stop before the last episode because I don’t want it to end. I’ve set down books halfway through, just because I loved them too much to finish. And it’s the same with some of my projects. I enjoy the process so much that I almost don’t mind leaving things unfinished.

But lately, I’m learning to see finishing differently. Completing something isn’t the end it’s the beginning of whatever comes next. Finishing opens the door to new projects, new ideas, and sometimes even more exciting possibilities.

That doesn’t mean every unfinished thing is a failure. Sometimes they’re just pauses in the process. Take my garden this year, for example. 

Gardening is one of my greatest joys. I started all my seedlings on time in January, but then my dad passed in Jan and February was the funeral, then being sick for two weeks, and starting work in April… my poor plants struggled, but then didn’t stand a chance in the summer heat. And you know what? That’s okay. With Jason and the kids’ help, I’m already more prepared for next year’s garden. Plus, I still have plenty to be growing in the winter beds.

So here it is: Block number five. Finished at last and I love it.