When ABC picked Barbara Walters to be the first woman anchor of the evening news years ago she was asked, "How do you explain your overnight success?" 

   "Overnight?" she answered. "I have been working my head off day & night for decades. There is nothing "overnight" about it."

   Many think that great victories come suddenly. The quilt of real success is sewn with thousands of threads. And the threads vanish when the quilt is hung on a wall or spread across a bed.

   Only the quilter understands the hard work it took. Only you know the number of failures you experienced to accomplish whatever has been meaningful in your life.

   Caregiving's quilt is the cloth of compassion, courage & competence. Failure comes to those who turn their backs to other's needs or give up when persistence could have brought healing.

   The "Congratulations" emblazoned in the sky are meant for you. You have sewn love's quilt & wrapped its warmth around another's need. Your quilt is beautiful because each thread represents an act of your kindness – a sacrifice you made by reaching to help instead of holding back.

   Thank you.

-Erie Chapman

photo-art by erie