The world’s media and economic engine tirelessly pushes the bright shininess of youth down our throats, all in a bid for profit. Advertisers intentionally target our perceived insecurities—often creating them—to drive consumption. The message is clear. You are not enough as you are, but what we are selling will “fix” you. Youth equals desirability, happiness, performance, relevance, and the bar by which we should measure everyone. It is toxic.
I happened across this flower and was transfixed by its beauty. The story of its life was written in its imperfections. A story that insisted I stop and listen. The petals have lost the rigid, straight shape where they all look identical. They have lost that flat bright yellow of their younger selves and gained beautiful tonal variations of dijon, quercitron, marigold, and yellow ocher. This rich depth demands more than a passing glance. Some of them have now started to wilt; their vascular system no longer so flush with water. Yet this allows for a unique and evolving silhouette that catches shadows and reveals the areas that are stronger than others. Its lean suggests the rainstorms it has weathered and days spent resisting tropical breezes. Unexpected cold snaps and heatwaves. It has experienced life and has a library of stories to tell, if one only stops to hear them.
There is a lesson in this for all of us bombarded with daily messages that suggest the only value we have to offer comes from looking, feeling, and behaving as if we were perpetually 22. Getting older comes with real, meaningful gifts. With age, we gain greater wisdom and perspective. We’ve lived through hardship and made mistakes. We’ve learned from these mistakes and grown wiser. We care less about others’ opinions and more about staying true to ourselves. We have a powerful clarity of our values and feel less pressure to capitulate and conform. Aging is a gift. There is so much depth, richness, and wisdom in our older generations that goes unnoticed and unacknowledged. Aging isn’t decline; it’s evolution.
Several of the arcs radiating out from the flower have quotes about aging gracefully freemotion-quilted into them.
Title: Aging Gracefully
Materials: batiks, quilter’s cottons, fusible web, Swarovski crystals
Size: 27″ x 40″
I am enjoying aging and appreciate the many benefits that come with age. I even like my wrinkles and try not to mourn that time in my life when I had few sags and clear smooth skin. I love your philosophy Christie. Welcome to CIC. You are going to have some fun.
Christie your work and words dare as wonderful as you.
I love your message as well as your quilted image. Beautifully done, Christie!
Thanks Karol! I am excited to be a part of this, and look forward to each new prompt.
Well said and well done. I’m so glad you are now part of Cloth in Common!!
Hi Martha! I’m so glad too. It’s such an honor. I was so glad to meet you in person at the conference. Hope we can repeat that in 2 yrs!
Beautiful Christie! Gorgeous , creative piece of art, as well as your eloquent ability to share your thoughts in words.
Thank you! I am quite opinionated on the subject. 😉
Lovely.
Thank you Ellen!
Love your concept and appreciate the topic of aging gracefully. I am continually amazed by your work and can’t wait to see the finished piece.
Thank you Karima! I loved following your adventures in Iceland. Maybe Qatar is next?
Your words are as important and beautiful as your art. You are off and running!
Straining at the leash. 😉
Beaufort Christie as everything you create!
Your quilt is amazing but the story behind it is so beautiful and full of emotion and truth. I love that you have put some “aging gracefully” statements into the quilting!!
A stunning quilt and a valuable message!
Beautiful piece and reflection. Love this, Christie!
Beautiful and so poignant. Just lovely.
Thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
So true. Nicely expressed in words and art!
A deep and timely reminder!
It is a deeply held one, though some days I require reminding myself!
Absolutely beautiful and I love what you said. Superb. Painterly.
Thanks, Jenny! I love the word “painterly”.
Wonderful work, Christie.
Thanks, Sarah. You are always such a steadfast cheerleader of me and my work. I deeply appreciate you for your kindness and thoughtfulness.
What a beautiful reflection—both in words and in stitches. I love how you wove meaning into every curve of that flower, honoring the quiet strength and layered beauty that comes with age. The tonal variations, the texture, the lean of the petals… it’s all so rich and resonant. Thank you for reminding us that growing older isn’t something to hide, but something to celebrate. ❤️
What would you say is the most important and liberating concept you have learned about aging?
Thank you Laura. The most important? Just one? Hmmm, perhaps it is this. We are all on this beautiful planet for only about five minutes. We are here and then we are gone. That isn’t a lot of time, and we don’t have the luxury of tinkering about, dithering on what we want to try and experience. It is a dangerous gamble to say we will wait until we retire to do X, or until we save up a bit more money before we try Y, or until life is easier before we embark on Z. We aren’t guaranteed any of those time periods will come. We only have today, and we have to grab it with both hands and shake the Skittles out of it while we can.