1:28 PM
Georgia
Mourning/Respect Armbands
Not an easy topic to discuss. People's reactions to death and anything related can be so varied and sometimes fraught with emotional landmines.
My Best Friend, Mish, lost her father recently. Neither of us wear black or would even consider wearing black to the funeral, even though everyone else in her immediate and extended family did and would. Her Dad loved colour, Mish loves colour, so why would she not dress brightly for both of them? We talked about her families reactions to her not 'toning' it down for the funeral and I suggested we revert to an old and seldom used custom (except by footballers) of wearing a black armband to show our respect for not only her Dad but for the rest of the family and herself as well.
So I set about making an armband that was as beautiful as it was respectful.
I chose a heart for the centre of each one because the dearly departed now resides in your heart (in my opinion). The three larger hearts were lockets and I inserted a handwritten personal note for each of them. Mish and her two eldest children. For the younger three children, the hearts were solid making them more kiddy friendly and durable.
As it turned out the two younger girls did not have sleaves on their dresses and so I folded the armband over and made it a ribbon brooch which we then pinned to them.
What began as a guesture of love and respect between myself and Mish and for Mish towards her father, ended with more comments and requests for armbands. I was pleasantly surprised.
And so mourning bands have been added to my growing family of Something Quirky Friends.
From my heart to yours
Georgia
