You have all heard the expression, “Making Something out of Nothing.” I have always wondered about this phrase and today, I woke up pondering its meaning. How can someone make something…from nothing? I guess that all depends on the intent of the word “nothing.” What comes to mind, first of all, is a children’s book that is on the fringes of my memory. It was called, “Stone Soup.” Apparently, the woman had nothing to eat and began to make a soup by boiling a stone. The details of the story are vague in my memory, but somehow, I recall that she ended up with an edible concoction, after being able to add this, and that.
Life is a series of making something out of nothing. We are all born into this world without a stitch of clothing, and howling at the indignity of being thrust from our warm, comfortable, nurturing “home.” Who we choose to be and what successes we have are a result of hard work. We “make” something of our lives, or….we don’t.
That said, whether we are crafting our own lives or making a quilt, we still start out with raw materials, not exactly with “nothing.” We have the help and guidance of other people, first of all, our parents, or those who raise us. In making a quilt, we start with thread, fabrics, needles, and a pattern of our own design or one of someone else’s vision. While it is true that we do not all begin with the exact same opportunities, what matters most is what we do with the talents we possess.
There is great satisfaction in creating a material object “from scratch” – another expression that would be a bit baffling to a non-English speaker.
In thinking about this concept, in regards to quilting, Challenge quilts come to mind. They are always interesting to compare at quilt shows. The idea behind them is to have participating quilters use a group of pre-selected fabrics to create a unique quilt of their own design. In a sense, this is working from “scratch,” the “scratch” in this case, being fabric.
Another interpretation of the expression, “Making Something Out of Nothing,” is to exaggerate the inconsequential, i.e. to give more “weight” to a subject than what it merits, to make “too much of something,” “to make a mountain out of a molehill.”
Language holds many levels of meaning. Expressions that we take for granted, like “making something out of nothing,” and other phrases can provide food for thought. Now, I hope that I’ve not made “something out of nothing,” in writing about this topic. (very big grin)
Make it a great day!
Pat
