This quilt is an adaptation of a picture of my two sons when they were young. We had gotten balloons for my older son’s 5th birthday. The boys were so excited and had so much fun. It’s amazing how much joy two small kids can get out of a couple of large bunches of balloons. The older of the two has autism and is now 23. As he has gotten older, he has withdrawn more from us and has almost entirely stopped speaking. Even though it seems that it isn’t a loss at all since he is right in front of me, I miss him, and it is a loss that has left me heartbroken. Spending time recreating these happy times is a way for me to come to terms with my grief and gives me some hope for the future.