Conclusion:
One important thing in doing cross stitch is to find the center of the fabric and the pattern and align them both correctly and begin from there. Then, when you want to make any outer border, it will come out uniformly. But several times, I carefully calculated the number of counts in both the pattern and the fabric, and after leaving the counts at the edge, I would start not from the center but from a corner. So, as this sentence ‘begin at the center’ echoed in my mind throughout the day and night, I removed the one line I started, this time calculating the center of both the main completed design and the border. Then it went neatly and perfectly to my satisfaction. My original calculation of leaving six counts on two sides and two both at the top and bottom of the border was correct. But after starting from the center, when I completed one line, I noticed that the six counts that I left on the outer side came within the border as I increased the size of the border from 227 to 235. Then, with much satisfaction, I continued my border work. But at night, after my regular reading, as I was meditating, I said to the Lord, “You come into my life to correct all my mistakes, be it in life or in cross stitch work.” Then, as inspiration came, I wrote one poem [BT 1618] as my prayer.
Then, when I went for my evening walk the next day, I was thinking about how to write the comments for this song. At that time, I was not sure if I could explain all the challenges that I faced in doing a cross stitch work. But suddenly, I began to say to myself, “This is not limited to cross stitch or to any artwork but also to life in every area.”
Unless we learn the art of aligning with the center of our identity and security while launching any new adventure in life, it will bring complications not only to our identity and security but also to others.
For example, when a person converts from one religious faith to another, they should be careful to shift their identity with carefully calculated adjustments to align not only with the center of their security back home, in the community, and in society but also with the new identity that they choose. For example, a Hindu choosing a new identity as a Christian or worse, as a convert, risking their security in family, community, and society, will bring friction, tension, and problems not only to them personally but also to their family and their church. So, they should ensure that the new pattern, like my border to which I added more counts, aligns with the center but also fits perfectly well with the overall finished work, while incorporating new ‘spiritual values from other faiths’ into their lives. Otherwise, they may have to adjust a few counts in the border to fit with the finished work, which might not be very noticeable, or alter the pattern to harmonize with the center. This could involve severing relationships with birth family, community, and society to adjust with the new centre they found in another faith.
For every human being, their security and identity begin at home, then from the community and society. So, before making any conscious choice to shift it, they have to carefully calculate. In this, any new convert cannot do it on their own, however mature they might be in life. In this, the mentors of their newfound faith alone should guide them carefully, keeping in mind their security and identity.
So, adjustment is an art of life to align one’s identity and security, and one should be very careful and never begin from a corner, however carefully they calculate the counts. But begin from the center, which alone would guide them properly. And for a bhakta, God gives clear guidance and steps in when they make some wrong calculation to begin from the center first.
This is applicable in all areas of life and also to every walk of life, even politicians. Before shifting allegiance from one party to another, he or she has to keep this in mind. In the spirit of taking revenge on some individual leader in the party which disappointed her or him, if she shifts her or his allegiance, the same will happen that happens in all wrong calculations in life to adjust with the center. This is also true for every state government in a federal structure.
Narrative:
To further illustrate my point with a real-life example, one would need to read the following narrative. If you have the time and interest, please continue reading. Otherwise, feel free to skip ahead, as I have already shared the conclusion of this article and will now provide a firsthand account of how I learned this lesson through personal experience.
At present, I am working on a cross stitch project that I started for my mother. After completing the outermost two lines and a few stitches in the center, she gave up as the counts were too small for her eyes and the size was too large for her to handle. So, I had to start another one with larger counts, which she completed before she passed away. As there was no time for me to complete this work which she began but give up, I kept it aside. Even after my mother passed away, as I was traveling and couldn’t carry such a huge work with lots of wool threads, I took it back now to complete and keep it with me, remembering my mother’s final cross stitch work dedicating it for her memory as it was she who taught me cross stitch work when I was eight year old boy.
As I am nearing the end, I thought of adding her favorite twisted border with multiple colors. But aligning it with the central pattern, which I cannot change now, became a challenge. Those who do cross stitch work alone can understand this. I carefully calculated and increased the size of the border to align with the completed central pattern. Knowing well that unless the corners align perfectly with the central design, I cannot proceed further. So, I only made one line first, and as I feared, it didn’t align not only with the central pattern but also with the border. To cover the entire central design, I increased the counts for the border. In the original, it was 227 x 227. But to make the central design fit within it, I increased the counts to 235 then then I carefully calculated the counts that I had to leave on both the outer sides of the border. I had to leave six counts on each side and two at the top and bottom. But when I completed one line, I noticed that on one side it was six counts, and on the other side, only one count. This means that the pattern would go through the central design, which is not possible. To adjust this, in a previous work, I adjusted the border in a few places, but one cannot notice the difference and it still looks perfect. But in this case, no matter how I adjust it, it will completely spoil the entire border. So, for two days, I was undoing and redoing with careful calculations. And finally, I gave up, thinking that there is no hope of doing this, and I have to choose another border that will align properly with the center.
However, as I won’t give up any challenge that easily, particularly when I know that there would definitely be a clear solution, I have decided to do that. Though I don’t believe in seeking God’s help or guidance in such artwork, still I strongly believe that God would help, as he is concerned with a holistic approach in our life, not paying attention to our spiritual needs alone. So, after wasting two days, when I decided to make a final attempt, suddenly, a thought flashed in my mind. I won’t say that this is how God gave me the solution. However, one sentence was echoing in my mind from morning to ‘begin from the center’.
Hearing such an ‘inner’ voice is not new to me. It has occurred several times, particularly during crucial moments when making decisions or when it has saved me from danger. Of course, people of all faiths claim to have similar experiences when they completely trust in God.
Gurukulam
7-6-2024
Conclusion:
One important thing in doing cross stitch is to find the center of the fabric and the pattern and align them both correctly and begin from there. Then, when you want to make any outer border, it will come out uniformly. But several times, I carefully calculated the number of counts in both the pattern and the fabric, and after leaving the counts at the edge, I would start not from the center but from a corner. So, as this sentence ‘begin at the center’ echoed in my mind throughout the day and night, I removed the one line I started, this time calculating the center of both the main completed design and the border. Then it went neatly and perfectly to my satisfaction. My original calculation of leaving six counts on two sides and two both at the top and bottom of the border was correct. But after starting from the center, when I completed one line, I noticed that the six counts that I left on the outer side came within the border as I increased the size of the border from 227 to 235. Then, with much satisfaction, I continued my border work. But at night, after my regular reading, as I was meditating, I said to the Lord, “You come into my life to correct all my mistakes, be it in life or in cross stitch work.” Then, as inspiration came, I wrote one poem [BT 1618] as my prayer.
Then, when I went for my evening walk the next day, I was thinking about how to write the comments for this song. At that time, I was not sure if I could explain all the challenges that I faced in doing a cross stitch work. But suddenly, I began to say to myself, “This is not limited to cross stitch or to any artwork but also to life in every area.”
Unless we learn the art of aligning with the center of our identity and security while launching any new adventure in life, it will bring complications not only to our identity and security but also to others.
For example, when a person converts from one religious faith to another, they should be careful to shift their identity with carefully calculated adjustments to align not only with the center of their security back home, in the community, and in society but also with the new identity that they choose. For example, a Hindu choosing a new identity as a Christian or worse, as a convert, risking their security in family, community, and society, will bring friction, tension, and problems not only to them personally but also to their family and their church. So, they should ensure that the new pattern, like my border to which I added more counts, aligns with the center but also fits perfectly well with the overall finished work, while incorporating new ‘spiritual values from other faiths’ into their lives. Otherwise, they may have to adjust a few counts in the border to fit with the finished work, which might not be very noticeable, or alter the pattern to harmonize with the center. This could involve severing relationships with birth family, community, and society to adjust with the new centre they found in another faith.
For every human being, their security and identity begin at home, then from the community and society. So, before making any conscious choice to shift it, they have to carefully calculate. In this, any new convert cannot do it on their own, however mature they might be in life. In this, the mentors of their newfound faith alone should guide them carefully, keeping in mind their security and identity.
So, adjustment is an art of life to align one’s identity and security, and one should be very careful and never begin from a corner, however carefully they calculate the counts. But begin from the center, which alone would guide them properly. And for a bhakta, God gives clear guidance and steps in when they make some wrong calculation to begin from the center first.
This is applicable in all areas of life and also to every walk of life, even politicians. Before shifting allegiance from one party to another, he or she has to keep this in mind. In the spirit of taking revenge on some individual leader in the party which disappointed her or him, if she shifts her or his allegiance, the same will happen that happens in all wrong calculations in life to adjust with the center. This is also true for every state government in a federal structure.
Narrative:
To further illustrate my point with a real-life example, one would need to read the following narrative. If you have the time and interest, please continue reading. Otherwise, feel free to skip ahead, as I have already shared the conclusion of this article and will now provide a firsthand account of how I learned this lesson through personal experience.
At present, I am working on a cross stitch project that I started for my mother. After completing the outermost two lines and a few stitches in the center, she gave up as the counts were too small for her eyes and the size was too large for her to handle. So, I had to start another one with larger counts, which she completed before she passed away. As there was no time for me to complete this work which she began but give up, I kept it aside. Even after my mother passed away, as I was traveling and couldn’t carry such a huge work with lots of wool threads, I took it back now to complete and keep it with me, remembering my mother’s final cross stitch work dedicating it for her memory as it was she who taught me cross stitch work when I was eight year old boy.
As I am nearing the end, I thought of adding her favorite twisted border with multiple colors. But aligning it with the central pattern, which I cannot change now, became a challenge. Those who do cross stitch work alone can understand this. I carefully calculated and increased the size of the border to align with the completed central pattern. Knowing well that unless the corners align perfectly with the central design, I cannot proceed further. So, I only made one line first, and as I feared, it didn’t align not only with the central pattern but also with the border. To cover the entire central design, I increased the counts for the border. In the original, it was 227 x 227. But to make the central design fit within it, I increased the counts to 235 then then I carefully calculated the counts that I had to leave on both the outer sides of the border. I had to leave six counts on each side and two at the top and bottom. But when I completed one line, I noticed that on one side it was six counts, and on the other side, only one count. This means that the pattern would go through the central design, which is not possible. To adjust this, in a previous work, I adjusted the border in a few places, but one cannot notice the difference and it still looks perfect. But in this case, no matter how I adjust it, it will completely spoil the entire border. So, for two days, I was undoing and redoing with careful calculations. And finally, I gave up, thinking that there is no hope of doing this, and I have to choose another border that will align properly with the center.
However, as I won’t give up any challenge that easily, particularly when I know that there would definitely be a clear solution, I have decided to do that. Though I don’t believe in seeking God’s help or guidance in such artwork, still I strongly believe that God would help, as he is concerned with a holistic approach in our life, not paying attention to our spiritual needs alone. So, after wasting two days, when I decided to make a final attempt, suddenly, a thought flashed in my mind. I won’t say that this is how God gave me the solution. However, one sentence was echoing in my mind from morning to ‘begin from the center’.
Hearing such an ‘inner’ voice is not new to me. It has occurred several times, particularly during crucial moments when making decisions or when it has saved me from danger. Of course, people of all faiths claim to have similar experiences when they completely trust in God.
Gurukulam
7-6-2024
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