What Time Is It?

As the time for her grandson's graduation approaches, Linda Kracht is working to complete a very special project.

There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.

A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

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Today, it is time for me to piece together the final rows for our oldest grandson’s graduation quilt. The process floods me with memories of early milestones—his birth, his first steps, spelling bees, football games, Confirmation, and his graduations from pre-school, kindergarten, grade school, middle school, and now high school. It also leads me to think about his future. While this graduation quilt will not capture any of his future accomplishments, it will help tell the story of how he got there.

Years ago, we attended a graduation open house for the daughter of longtime friends. Cards, pictures, and flowers were displayed around the living room, and at the front and center was Shannon’s graduation quilt. This crazy quilt was pieced together by mother for daughter. The quilt was a snapshot of Shannon’s interests and efforts, and it was obviously a work of love, with or without a blue ribbon from the state fair. Right then and there, I vowed to make a graduation quilt for my sons and daughters—if they wanted one. And most of them did.

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As I piece together my grandson’s graduation quilt, I am also reminded to pray for his future. He will certainly have time for everything and every season and every activity under the sun—God willing—as he aspires for virtue and excellence. And like each of us, he will need daily reminders from God how to live and love well.

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As I piece together my grandson’s graduation quilt, I am also reminded to pray for his future. #CatholicMom

Moms, if you hope to make a graduation quilt for your son or daughter, take time to retire that favorite shirt, special baby quilt or baptismal gown, and other special items of clothing to a storage bin marked “Graduation Quilt.” It will save on storage space if you cut the shirts, stuffed animals, and other articles down to 13”x13”. You will hear protests about it being their favorite shirt; however, it's also true that once it’s out of sight it will also be out of mind. Years from now, they will see it again and love the fact that you retired it when you did.

If you don’t plan on making a graduation quilt, that’s OK. Not everyone can sew and mend. Consider other ways to memorialize those special articles of clothing now and in the near future.

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