I Almost Threw It Away

Sharon Wilson reflects on her spiritual journey as she unravels an old rug one Sunday afternoon. 

I have this old rag rug. I purchased it initially to keep in the back of my SUV to protect the back hatch area from any dust and mud (and accidents) my dogs might have when traveling with me. After a while I found a better solution for my dog issue, and I put the rug to good use in my kitchen on the floor next to the sink. It did a great job there for a while until it became a tripping hazard for my increasingly ill husband. The rug eventually made its way out to my patio before finally starting to fall apart after being left out all year (yes, through a Minnesota winter).  

This spring, as I was getting ready to clean up the patio for summer, I grabbed the rug and almost threw it into the trash. It certainly had given me many years of worth. The fabric was puffed out in places and the connecting weaving had just disintegrated in other spots. Just before I was getting ready to toss it, though, a Facebook post came across my feed. I follow lots of crafty, recycling people on Facebook, and in this post, someone was recycling an old rag rug by taking it apart. 

Unraveling a Surprise 

I love textiles, so I thought I would give it a try. After a thorough wash and dry, I started unraveling the rug. Through the many years of use, weather, and sun bleaching, the rug had become faded and just plain meh, so I didn’t expect much. I also had no idea how I might use the scraps, but it was a rainy Sunday afternoon, so I sat in my chair and started taking the rug apart. 

Unraveling the scraps of material soon revealed the most beautiful fabric. I found beautiful floral silks, strips of sturdy cotton, stretchy Lycra, and even lace, each about 18 inches long and three or four inches wide. Apart from the outside casing of each piece where the sun had done its damage, the colors were vibrant, and the entire day was filled with surprise after surprise! 

Since the work of unraveling the rug was quite meditative and since it was Sunday, I found myself reflecting on my own spiritual journey. 

Lately, well, since my husband’s death, I have been having a hard time going to church. Initially, it was just hard being there. I kept thinking of him and how he should be there with me. Entering into the Mass had become difficult as I was inundated with memories and thoughts of my loss. The once vibrant Mass became meh.

I also let my thoughts lead me to the many times people at church had let me down, whether it was being treated in a poor manner by a church organization I worked for or being ignored and left out in the past. The past grievances that I had held onto discolored my history with the Church. Wallowing in the deficiencies of the people of the Church had led me to consider abandoning it. 

A Second Chance 

As I unwound these pieces of rug and saw the beauty in the scraps of fabric that I was planning to throw away, it occurred to me that the Church deserved a second or even third or fourth life.  

I considered the people, situations, or institutions that may have hurt me or caused me to abandon the vibrant Church that had given me so much life. Maybe the people that hurt me were so wound up in themselves that all that could be seen were the washed-out colors on the outside. Their beauty was hidden. Likewise, the situations that caused my life to unravel, like the death of my husband, were just bringing me to a new situation, not to the end of my usefulness.  

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) 

Just as I was going to throw away the rug and instead found a second, third, or fourth life to its usefulness, I will look at seeing the people in my life with a new view.  

The Church, Mass, and the people may have seemed useless and not able to serve a purpose anymore — until I took a closer look. God doesn’t have just one purpose for me. He keeps calling me to my next purpose!  

I still don’t know what I will make with these vibrant scraps of fabric from the rug or what I will make with this next stage of my life, but whatever it is, it will be beautiful! 

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Copyright 2025 Sharon Wilson
Images: Canva