Delighted | Humbled | Honoured
Creativity is a language! And I experienced what I preach. My passion for textiles has led me to be the Artist Facilitator at the Textile Museum of Canada. It gets better… I landed upon the golden opportunity to work with the Afghan Welfare Organization @afghanwomensorg AWO Mississauga. The brief of the workshops was to provide healing to the participants through Fibre Art.
Everyone holds a painful story. I wanted to find a way to connect with happy memories of their home and link it to the present. I led a group of 25 women speaking 4 different languages recreate stories of their childhood. Initially everyone was hesitant. I began with talking about my childhood love for mangoes, one story led to another. We all laughed and shared. Drew a little, embroidered some more and just like that we all became friends. The longing to be heard and the spark in their eyes to create their best was my biggest catharsis ❤️ Working with textiles has been most healing for me and I could share this with my new friends.
I want to thank the @textilemuseumofcanada for having the biggest heart to run Community Maker Programs. I’m overwhelmed by the love I’ve received at the @afghanwomensorg and look forward to working with them very soon.
I know this isn’t big, but being able to make someone happy is my biggest win! My new friends make me the proudest teacher❤️😍 I can’t believe I’m living to see happiness I never knew I could have.
The best part of it was, at the end of the session someone came up to me, apologized beforehand to ask me a very personal question..I held my breath (thinking I had offended her) and said please go ahead.
Attendee: How long are you teacher??
Me (confused): What?
Attendee (now on her tippy toes with her hand over her head): Teacherrrr.. how long are you? I want to be as long as you.
I burst into laughter!!! I apologized for my reaction and gave her all the answers. We hugged and laughed. Said our good byes with a promise to meet again soon.
To this and so much more that holds me through my tests. Gratitude Changes Everything!
I owe everything to my parents for raising me with a heart built on faith.
Love, Amna Nawab
#amnanawabdesign
#fibreart
#textilemuseumofcanada
#communitymaker
#afghanwomensorganization
#ibelieveinmiracles
#yaqein