Finding a new Dream

I always thought I’d be a ballerina until that dream died. But one snowy winter’s day, that dream was taken from me. I was driving home from visiting my parents when a terrible snow storm came out of no where. The wind was ferocious. It pushed so hard against my car that I ended up sliding off the road. The car flipped and my left arm was basically pinched off at the elbow. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks where surgeons were miraculously able to save it by cutting my lat. muscle and tissues from my back and placing it all into my arm. I was told I’d be lucky if I’d ever be able to hold a hair brush with that hand.

So my dream of being a ballerina ended. It took a long time to heal, mentally and physically. I still fight constant pain every day. It feels like I’ve hit my funny bone all the time. There were days I just wanted to give up. Life can be so hard and cruel. I knew I needed to find something else that brought me joy. But I never thought in a million years I’d find a new dream or be that passionate for something again. Still, I refused to give up.

I decided to try and search for a new dream. I had always loved art, so decided to go to school for fine arts. But I never felt my work was good enough. It never came out the way I wanted, how it was in my head. So I dropped out. Once again, I felt empty and alone. I doubted I’d be able to find something to fill the void in my heart.

Then one Christmas everything changed. I decided it was finally time for my mother to have a handmade Christmas stocking of her own. She had hand embroidered stockings for everyone in the family, but she had one bought from a store. I never thought embroidery would be the thing to fill that gapping hole on my heart. I honestly assumed I wouldn’t care for it. But as soon as I took my first stitch, I knew I’d found that missing piece. It made me whole again. Creating that Christmas stocking made me feel truly happy again. I haven’t gone a day since without stitching something.

I’d found a new dream, and was in love big time. Amazingly, I now am a professional embroidery artist. My work has been featured in Stitch Magazine, as well as various online blogs and articles. I’ve now moved into the role of teaching. And I’ve never been happier. I specialize in a technique called silk shading or needle painting. But still love all forms of surface embroidery. I love creating. Seeing a piece come to life on stitch at a time is like magic. It’s amazing what a small needle, a bit of thread and good sharp scissors can create.

I’m finally proud of my work. It may not be perfect, but it’s mine and I own it. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m enough, that my work is good enough. But what’s even more amazing is that I’m able to use my “bad” arm to stitch. I embroider using both hands, one above the frame the other below. Forget about being able to hold a hairbrush, I can maneuver and stitch with a size 11 embroidery needle (it’s a very tiny needle). I’m healing, on the inside. Embroidery saved me in too many ways to count. I have a passion for life I’ve never had before, and a drive I’d never imagined I was capable of.

I’m sharing this as my first story because I want others to know that it is possible to move on, to fall in love again, to find a new dream. You never know what’s waiting for you right around the corner if you just keep an open heart. Miracles can happen.