A Precious Gift

Yesterday, I was given a special gift. A prayer shawl, made of gorgeous silk sari-yarn, which blesses the lives of the women who make it. Spun by women in Nepal from the waste silk left over from weaving the material for Saris, it is made by women's cooperatives and gives them a fair wage and a chance to change their lives and the world around them. When you look at it under indoor light it seems to be quite conservative, even drab--mostly autumn reds and browns. However, if you have a chance to see it in sunlight, it explodes into vibrant reds, greens and purples. Rather like a casual glance at the lives of the quiet women around the world, who, when you get to know them and their stories, explode into brilliance.