REFLECTIONS – Inspiration is Everywhere
Blog 4, November 2024
In my fifth book, Punch Lines, A Collection of Coping-With-Reality Comical Essays, I described friendships as the Avengers of our personal lives. Without a doubt, Shirley Crockett, is one of mine. She is also a very talented Rug Hooker.
We met many careers ago while we were both smoking on the back stoop of our shared St. George Street office. Can you think of a better way to establish a decades long friendship than smoking? Don’t panic, we both quit many moons ago.
Shirley was a town planner—logical, practical, solutions-oriented, and methodical—while I was an architectural marketer—whimsical, emotional, and creative. Somehow, despite these differences, our friendship flourished. I even marched in her wedding over three decades ago.
Over the years, our friendship has survived the roller coaster of my work, dating, and health woes—mostly thanks to Shirley’s patience and love of movies. Her husband hates movies, so I became her willing accomplice on our Tuesday movie dates. And, if we couldn’t make an actual show, there was always my life to entertain and amuse us.
I’ve always envied Shirley’s talent. She’s a brilliant seamstress, knitter, and, in the last decade or so, a Rug Hooker. She sells her colourful, folk-art-inspired carpets, pillows, and coasters on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/Chalikett).
In one of my recent reflective periods—who am I kidding, I’m always in a reflective period—I realized that, other than a few coasters, I didn’t own anything created by Shirley. Since I love original art, I asked her if she would create a custom carpet for me, that both captured my essence and reflected and celebrated our decades-long friendship.
When Shirley visited in late August and unrolled the custom carpet, it felt like a scene from an enchanted tale. With each turn of the rug, it was as if she were unspooling not just fabric, but 30+ years of friendship, laughter, and shared experiences.
Every detail was personal. The ladders from Suits and Ladders – the woman on the bottom ladder able to scale it because she’s standing on books (tres astucieuse! – did I mention that Shirley was originally from Quebec?), the public speaking podium from Want to Inform, Influence, and Entertain Like a Pro, the yellow balloon from The Grin Reaper, the spider web from A Convenient Ruse, and the boxing gloves and dropped mike from Punch Lines.
There’s also a nod to my family – my two sons, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren are all represented. And, of course, our Chinese zodiac signs—my dragon and Shirley’s tiger—along with our traditional zodiac signs – my Taurus bull and Shirley’s Pisces fish.
But I have to admit, one of my favorite design elements is the popcorn. On our Tuesday movie dates, I didn’t care much about which movie we saw—it was always about the popcorn and, most importantly, the time spent with Shirley.
Now, the carpet hangs beside my desk, and it’s not just a beautiful piece of art—it’s a magical carpet that transports me to all the special moments Shirley and I have shared. Each thread is a stitch in time, a reminder of how our friendship has woven itself into the very fabric of our lives.
Like Aladdin’s legendary carpet, Shirley’s creation holds a touch of magic. Every day, it lifts me up and reminds me that inspiration is everywhere—especially in the friends who support us, the creative energy they share, and the memories we build together. This magical carpet may not fly me to exotic lands, but it certainly takes me on a journey of joy and inspiration every time I glance at it.
