The Desires Of My Heart
Alice Lundgren
Marysville, OH
65" x 43”
As you approach the quilt, the first thing you notice is
the dark and heavy lock on a razor wire fence. The lock
was closed by the key of Justice, but by simply turning
the same key over, Mercy appears and opens the lock. I
invite you to open the locked fence so you can see the
deepest desires of my heart.
The center is the most perfect heart and it represents
my deepest and truest desire: “to touch and be touched
by my Creator”.
The second heart, while less perfect, represents my
desire to “bear good fruit” wherever I am.
The outer most heart, which has morphed into a shape
similar to a human heart represents my most human
desires. They are: to have a home of my own, to see my
grandson’s first day of school, to harvest a Christmas
tree with my children and grandchildren, to attend the
symphony wearing a dress and pearls, to fish in a pond,
to see the sunflower and wheat fields of Kansas, to
watch the sunset at the ocean and to walk in the forest
and mountains.
While creating the outer most heart of the quilt, I
struggled with feelings of aloneness and being cut off
from the desires of my heart. More than once I had to
walk away or stop working. When I become overwhelmed, I
had to refocus my attention on the center of the quilt.
I can not dwell on what I do not have. To experience
peace, I focus on what I do have and that is my
connection to my higher power and my ability to bear
good fruit wherever I am.
I appreciate the opportunity to share my heart with
others and I hope it conveys the message that although
some might think otherwise, there are some very
beautiful hearts inside the razor wire.
A personal note from the quilter:
I am 58 yrs old and have been incarcerated since 1990. I
am the mother of four and grandmother to 3 incredibly
adorable grandchildren. I work as a Career Tech Aide in
the computer lab, helping women obtain computer skills
for future employment. I enjoy quilting, cross-stitching
and sewing, especially children’s clothing.
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