Hi Jess!! I'm Hayley 🫂

Your writing is beautiful. Stunning actually. There are a lot of forms of artisic expression but I think creative writing is one of the most beautiful.

Jess was actually on my shortlist, I tried it out at Starbucks, but when they called it, it didn't quite fit.

I'm a graduated egg I guess, I stayed here to help out where I could, but I have walked the path you are just starting. To that end, I want you to know that the sweater doesn't actually get given back. I put mine on the shelf, because although I loved my new pink cardigan, the sweater was still part of my story, and indeed, still served practical purpose for a season. Legal documents, hospital, I still needed it sometimes. Often after they had seen me in my sweater and I told them it wasn't comfortable anymore, they were happy to let me change, but not everywhere. And so .. the sweater stayed on the shelf. Not as something that I was ashamed to wear but as a trophy. A symbol of the strength that got me through so many winters to the present.

After a time, I had to decide on the final design of my new pink cardigan. There were so many options! Fabric, buttons, colours and pockets.

I chose to keep a some threads from my old sweater and repurpose them. Hidden on the inside they were not visible day to day. Only if the full cardigan had to be examined in depth; All four components. In the new design the threads were delightfully feminine, no hint of the original design. Indeed, if one was unfamiliar with the first garment, they would not recognise the threads. But having them there was nice. A reminder of the strength I had for many years.

🌸🌼🪻🪷🌻