I have what I think is a sweet story. I have inherited contents from the sewing rooms of 3 loved ones. One was my friends Mothers. My friend asked that I finish crocheting a bedspread her mother had started and I did.
I have made quilts and quilts and quilts and more quilts. I give away everything I make from their fabric.
My mother-in-law (Mom) crocheted afghans. She probably made 200 to 400 before alzheimers took hold. Because crocheting was automatic for her she was able to crochet as the disease progressed. Everyone in her family has an afghan she made them. Everyone gave her crochet thread for special occasions. When she passed she had enough unused thread to fill the crochet shelves at Walmart. She had afghans in various stages of assembly (as she forgot more and more). She had blocks she made and couldn't remember how to put together. I inherited 90% of it.. (The bulk would fill the bed of a regular size pickup.) I used some of her thread to assemble some of her blocks into bedspreads and had Dad give them to one of her sisters and a niece. (He was so proud!).
I used some of her thread to assemble some of her blocks into lap afghans. A friend ministers to a group of ladies in assisted living at a nearby nursing home. I asked her if I assembled the lap afghans would she give them to her (15) ladies for Dad as a Christmas gift. My father-in-law (Dad) was so proud to see those blocks in afghans and in the hands of someone who would love them. His eyes glowed as he watched me crochet. (He was married to my Mother-in-law 58 years. He is 92 now and in excellent health.) The ladies were thrilled to have their afghans and Dad was thrilled that Mom's squares and thread were not put away and forgotten. I still have 4 totes of squares and maybe 20 skiens of thread. I will do them another day and pass them on.
This is one way of 'passing it on'. 'Paying it forward'. Gosh, it makes me feel so good!