Unconventional

unconventional (adjective) - not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed.

Yep.

Almost twenty-seven years ago, while expecting Son#5, it seemed that whenever I visited my obstetrician the baby was lying in a different position. In fact, one week before my due date I was hospitalised because (1) I was anaemic, and (2) baby was lying transverse and with a history of short labours my specialist wanted me in hospital before labour commenced. During that one short week the baby managed to be in a different position each time my obstetrician did his rounds. At the time I wrote a letter to my MIL and joked, "Is this a sign that this child is going to be difficult?"

Thankfully, as it turned out, he was not a particularly difficult child but this pre-birth behaviour was perhaps a sign that he would at times be unconventional in his approach to life.

While his brothers slept magnificently from Day One, he took a little longer to get the hang of it. In fact, I was known to joke that had he been our firstborn he would have been an only child. But his temper was sweet - even if rather too laid-back for his mum who tends to the opposite extreme.

When the rest of the family hid under the table in an earthquake, I happened to glance out the window to see him riding it out on the top rail of our fence. I almost fainted. He thought it was wonderful.

While his brothers learnt the basics of team sports, he thought the whole idea of the game was to make as many friends as possible with players on the opposite team before half time. On one occasion when "playing" soccer, the ball went right between his legs while he chatted unconcernedly to someone on the opposing team. Suffice to say, he never won sportsperson of the year.

And so when it came to choosing a wife, he didn't take the conventional and well-tried method of meeting a girl at church or school or uni or even in his own backyard but instead he had to meet online, and fall in love with, a girl from halfway around the world.


Given his history, I perhaps would have been surprised if the unconventionality had stopped there. He is to be married soon and while that in itself isn't unconventional, the details are: planning a wedding before an official engagement; an intimate mostly virtual wedding that his family and friends are unable to attend; speeches and prayers from his loved ones done via Zoom. Unconventional, but definitely him.

Once again I am busy on a wedding quilt. One that perhaps will be a little unconventional, given the circumstances. The quilt will not be finished in time for the wedding (although I like the idea one son suggested of a virtual quilt for a virtual wedding!) but at least it has been started.


Just as Son#5 and his bride's wedding has been impacted by COVID-19, this quilt also has a COVID story. Most of the fabrics were bought during Level 3 lockdown, sight unseen. I was aiming for colours that symbolise both their heritages (red, white and blue for the bride; green, gold, black, and silver for the groom) but buying fabrics online has its pitfalls, and some of the colours are not the same as they appeared on my computer screen. But that's all part of the quilt's story.

The fact that it won't be ready for the wedding day has left me with mixed reactions. All the other quilts were stitched and quilted and finished in anticipation of the day and I put myself under quite a bit of pressure to get them completed at times.

This time there isn't that pressure. Partly because there was no way I could get a quilt done in the short time between Son#5 and his bride-to-be deciding to get married and then planning a ceremony (um, something like 4-6 weeks between decision and wedding date), partly because a queen-sized quilt was not going to fit in Son#5's luggage, and partly, too, because there are questions about when and where they will get to live together as a married couple.

So, yeah, it's a little unconventional.

But as with the other wedding quilts that I have made, there will be love and prayers in every stitch put into the quilt … whenever it gets done and wherever it finds a home.


Comments