The Blue Cotton Blanket
One upon a time, long ago, where blue grass grew in Main Street America, and front porch swings were a safe place to watch life go by, I packed my bags, folded up my new cobalt blue comforter with Dogwood Rose colored flowers to go out in the world and, if not meet my destiny, then hunt it down like a terrier unleashed who finds the world so big that sometimes it is hard to figure which way to go.
My comforter was there through my college career, wrapped around me as I studied, worked on projects, or just needed a comfort moment. In a college dorm room, bedding is the primary décor statement (wall décor second). My Cobalt blue comforter with its Dogwood Rose colored flowers symbolized my boldness – no weak, thinned out blue pastel or wall flower pink – no – I was going to shape my future to my dreams – Cobalt blue spoke strength, determination, adventure.
Three years later, I stepped further into my future. My spirit gentled. My new comforter was Shabby Chic White with faint slashes of tea green and misty rose. My fading Cobalt Blue comforter, now Carolina Blue found itself folded over a chair for cuddling on the couch or naps.
Until my son was born. The blue seemed to brighten with a renewed vitality. Thrown on the floor, it provided a soft place to fall. As morning wore on, sleepiness pulling both of us, we’d wrap the blue around and fall into the snuggly Kingdom of Nap.
When he turned 2, I decorated his Big Boy Room. He picked out a Snoopy Quilt with a blue background for his Big Boy Bed. During nap time one afternoon, when he was just 3, he dragged his blanket into my room, setting it on my bed. “I think you should have this blanket, Mom. It’s so much nicer. I’ll let you have it,” he said as he slowly inched my fading into stone washed Corn Silk blue blanket over his shoulders and backed out of the room. “I’ll just take this one since you won’t be needing it now that you have my nice Snoopy blanket.”
And there began a back and forth, a sneak and take for a few years until it just stayed in his room, wrapped around him during sleep, snuggly time, movie time, and, yes, even spend the night time. Time faded the blanket to periwinkle. Not all the seams were there. That blanket went with him to college, all faded and full of memories. The pink had washed to a leached out white.
One day, he brought The Girl home, the girl who would be his wife. They set a date. Then, one Christmas, six months before the wedding, he came home with his blanket and left it behind. The faded blue blanket just lay there. . . . .
Until one day, my 3rd son picked it up, wrapped it around himself, and wandered off with it to snuggle into sleep, watch a movie, or read, even on overnight sleepovers – terribly faded, terribly worn, terribly loved –
Absolutely beautiful! This is what memories are made of….blue cotton. I love this post.
I love this. I have a plant that I bought nearly 20 years ago during my first week of college. It stayed with me through college, went away to grad school with me, and has then been on every desk of every job I’ve worked at. Well, a little sprig of it has, since it’s easy to cut off a piece and sprout a new plant. It’s mind boggling all the places that plant has been 🙂
Oh wow! That is such a moving account of your blanket. Made me cry. It’s so wonderful to have something that can have so many memories wrapped up in it.
such a great story! my mom made my sister and i matching full-sized quilts as kids, and it went all the way to college with me. it’s now in a keepsake box since it’s pretty much tread-bare now.
Wow! That is so sweet that it has been passed around to so many people in your family. I bet that blanket could tell a lot of stories. 🙂
Oh that is a tear jerker. Very sweet.
Isn’t it amazing what ‘things’ hold such great memories for us?
It’s good to read another post.
Hope you have a great evening.
Teresa <
That’s super cool…. there is nothing better then a broken in blanket that has comforted the whole family…
I love the story of the blue blanket! It’s a wonderful one!
Just stopped by from SITS to say hi; hope you’ll do the same.
Such a sweet post =)This reminds of my baby blanket I still have. I never leave that thing behind! hope you’re having a wonderful day.
Felt the warmth of your memory blanket myself.
Thanks.
I needed that.
Sweet dreams.
What beautiful memories are associated with that blanket!
Stopping by from SITS.
Beautiful story of the blue blanket! Reminds of the blue and white checked blanket my mom made for my youngest brother. He’s 40 this year and still has it!
Sreading the comment love via SITS!
Peggy
Wow! That blanket now holds lot of memories and can now be easily considered a precious family heirloom! What a versatile blanket!
This is so beautiful. I had a knot in my throat the whole time I was reading. So special and lovely that it has been handed down and is so loved.
(I came by way of SITS and really enjoyed your blog!)
That was great. What a wonderful piece of your family’s story.
Love it!
Cara
It’s the simple things that make you smile and this is definitely one of them. What a treasure!
Stopped by from SITS to say hello.
What a wonderful story. How wonderful your son took the blanket to college and kind of sad (but expected) that he left it behind when he got married. He will start a new blanket story in his new married life.
I was just snuggling with m 2 y/o son a bit ago knowing that one day he won’t let me kiss him all over his face like I do now. I am going to try and kiss him as much as possible until that day happens!
Dear ML,
I’m current again, having read up the posts I’ve missed, up to Saturday, Nov.21. But I’m commenting here because I loved the story of the blue cotton blanket. I guess this is where you get the title for your blog…blue cotton memory. From Cobalt Blue…to faded blue… so many years sandwiched in between its layers, so much love woven into it… I love how you have kept its memory alive in your heart.
And your artist son, now springing into life and action, taking his dream another level higher…and walking up the road where his destiny unfolds with each step! Those fuzzy pompoms, folded colored paper, love notes, even dreams of an ice cream store… they are all pieces of the dream that God put in his heart. And you are the caretaker of that artist, the one given the job description to make sure the enemy never steals that dream away…
I have a song bird that sings, warbles its morning call right outside my window, every morning, at 5:15 a.m. on the dot. What a joyful sound…yes, these beautiful sounds that God created to speak joy to our travel weary hearts and lift us up, encouraging us, spurring us on!
But I have to agree with you that there are times when the sound of silence is the best sound of all…in my grieving moments after my husband’s death, exactly a year ago today, it was the people who said nothing at all, but simply touched my hand, or sat with me in silence…they were the ones who comforted me the most.
And you know, God has done that for me so often this year. Not saying anything at all, but just letting me feel His presence, that is what I would call “an eternal moment” when I knew God was in the room with me, in holy quiet, nothing being said, just the sense of His love.
You have stirred my heart again this morning, dear Maryleigh. And today my heart is soft for it is the first year anniversary of Ernie’s homegoing. My friend, in your extra in between time, may I invite you to visit me and read my heart in my two recent posts: I Will Testify to Love (November 22) and In Qiuetness and Confidence (November 19)? Your visits bring such a delight, you know.
I will end here, though in doing so, I leave so much unsaid. You are such a blessing…you are an artist who paints with words!
Love
Lidj
Or that
Hi Lidj,
I realize this is a very late response, but I wanted you to know that the inspiration for my blog was not the blue cotton blanket, but a poem I wrote as my grandmother who raised me struggled with dementia. Everytime I would leave her house, and the front door would slap shut, I would just so miss her, not wanting to leave her. Everything in her house told a story, held a memory of all the children she raised. She had such a mighty spirit bound in such a frail body. When she died, her spirit was freed to soar. Not only in her loneliness, but sometimes in mine, I wrap myself in memories and they warm me like a quilt – hence, blue cotton memory (since I have all these boys – blue seemed appropriate). You can find the poem here:
https://bluecottonmemory.com/why-bluecottonmemory/
What a wonderful story – thanks for stopping by.
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Such a beautiful, heart-warming story. It conveyed the strength of your family ties. When I read the bit about your son leaving the blanket behind when he got married, it was sad, yet healthy – a symbol of him starting a new family, yet in returning the blanket to you, I wonder if it became a source of comfort to you in his absence because your son used it for so long.
Wow, now that’s a sturdy blanket! I love how paying attention to the things around us can lead us down such lovely trails. Thanks for linking with #SmallWonder 🙂
What a sweet post. It made me smile. We have a few of those blankets from my husband’s childhood. Thank you for sharing!
Maryleigh,
What a beautiful story told through a fading blue blanket…so precious the memories for you and your boys…such a blessing 🙂 Thinking of you fondly and our time at JT 🙂
Precious photos and description of a well-loved blanket…sweet memories…many blessings to you and your sweet family ❤️
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I loved this! Such precious memories and you told the story so well. I’m yearning with nostalgia now 🙂 God bless you and yours
Writing it in 2009 was a nostaligic hug! The one who stole my blanket married that year! Thanks so much for coming by! Shalom ~ Maryleigh
What a lovely, touching post. You write so beautifully I could just sit here all day reading one after another.
My granddaughter had a blanket like that, only she took hers with her even when she got married, and now it’s wrapped around her little boy.
Sandra, What color is the blanket your granddaughter had? It’s part of a beautiful story now! Boys love blankets – I think blankets go straight to their hearts! It sounds like we have similar stories that touch our hearts! This is one of my top 10 favorites – I am so glad you enjoyed it, too! ~ Maryleigh
Absolutely love that story. Reminded me of some of the things with my kids that they clung to. Thanks for visiting me and leaving a comment so I could come enjoy your blog.
The stories with those things our children clung to can be precious indeed! Thanks so much for coming by!
This is such a lovely story. Thank you for sharing
This makes me smile. A lovely ode, a glimpse into family life and love.
Happy weekend, Maryleigh …
This is beautiful, Maryleigh!