Have you read about The Amazing Adventures of the Traveling Bracelets project created by Sig Wynne-Evans? While recovering from an operation, Sig had the idea of creating 10 bracelets and as she wove she thought only good positive thoughts before sending them out into the world. Each gorgeous bracelet went to a different destination and the idea is that each recipient will spend a week with 'their' bracelet, absorbing some of the energy the bracelet has already picked up while adding some of their own. They will then pass it on to a person of their choice who will also spend a week with the bracelet and so on. Can you imagine the places these bracelets are going to go, the sights they will be shown and the adventures they will have? Can't you already feel the special power that these bracelets will hold? This project has apparently received a mixed response, but personally I think that this is a fantastic idea and so when my friend Maureen asked if she could pass bracelet number 7 (Deruta) on to me, I accepted enthusiastically and couldn't wait for the post to arrive. Here is my report of my week with Deruta:
"When my lovely
friend Maureen first contacted me to see if I would like to spend a week with
Deruta, I jumped at the chance! To be
honest, this couldn’t have come at a better time for me as I had recently found
out that Mum has cancer which has spread too far to be treated and when I read
Sig’s blog and learned about her experiences and the philosophy behind the
travelling bracelets, I really wanted to be a part of this and I also wanted to
slide the bracelet onto Mum’s wrist so that she could feel the love that had
gone into it. I live 250 miles away from
my parents and when Deruta arrived I had just returned home for a little break
after spending 3 weeks with Mum at her home and in her local hospice and so I
thought I would show Deruta some of our local sights before returning to help
care for Mum. I opened the box,
marvelled at Deruta’s beauty, slipped her on and off we went!
This region has
a rich history and although (even after 23 years of living here!) I am
technically a foreigner in these parts, I feel a strong bond with this area -
especially Sherwood Forest which, as legend has it, was the home of Robin Hood
and Maid Marian. My husband Simon and I
often go for long walks in these ancient woodlands and we are occasionally
lucky enough to spot a deer or a hare or a buzzard and there is always a feeling
of quiet magic about this area which seems to bring us both a sense of peace –
and so of course I really wanted Deruta to soak up some of this atmosphere!
After our walk
in the woods, we stopped off for a cup of tea and a piece of cake in the pretty
little village of Edwinstowe. Robin and
Marian were supposedly married in the local church and there is a beautiful
bronze sculpture of Robin proposing to Marian in the centre of the village and so
I popped Deruta onto Marian’s slender wrist for a few minutes so that they
could connect.
After that it
was back to work and the next few days went in a whirl of writing instructions,
drawing diagrams and taking photos as Deruta sat quietly by my side. Mum’s faith is very important to her and when
she found out about her illness she asked me to make her a little beaded cross
to help her through the difficult times ahead.
After having spent some time in the hospice with Mum and beginning to
understand the work that they do, I thought that I would write up the pattern for the cross and donate the proceeds to the hospice to help them with their
important work. Those few days may not
have been very exciting for Deruta, but I am sure that she absorbed some of my
positive energy as I focused on my goal.
Towards the end
of the week it was time for the trip back to Mum’s house (she is now out of the
hospice and being cared for at home) and as this is where I grew up, I took
Deruta for a little walk along the country lanes to imbue her with the natural
beauty and the timeless tranquillity of Romney Marsh.
On the last day
of my special time with Deruta I slipped her onto Mum’s wrist. Mum and I held hands, closed our eyes and
concentrated on sending Deruta energy, experience, kindness and love.
Deruta is now preparing for the next leg of her journey
and I look forward to reading about her travels around the world. I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to
Maureen for filling Deruta with such positive and happy thoughts before passing
her on to me and an extra special ‘thank you’ to Sig both for the beautiful
beadwork and for turning her wonderful idea into a reality."
As you can see, I had a great time with Sig's travelling bracelet and I also enjoyed pondering about who she would like to visit next and where in the world she might like to go - keep a close eye on Sig's traveling bracelet blog to see what Deruta gets up to next ...
Kerrie ♥
