The internet serves various functions, as you know. Some people surf the net, looking for free patterns for quilting and embroidery. In fact, this seems to be the way that several people who have contacted me learned of quilting. In their home countries of Uruguay and Argentina, respectively, there is no strong tradition of making quilts. In another instance, one woman who had lived in the United States brought her newly-discovered love of quilting with her, back to Chile, and has masterminded country-wide quilt shows and now owns a quilt shop there.
The internet is useful in connecting groups of similarly-minded people, whether they collect postage stamps, Barbie dolls, or metal detectors. Giant auction houses, like eBay, and other places that specialize in selling antiques, bring photos of items into our awareness that in previous years we would never have known about or even imagined.
An example of that is an Indian textile I ran across today. The seller provided background information about it and a religious significance that one would never guess by just looking at it. Whenever I sit down at the computer, I expect to learn something new, and you know what? I usually do.
One can be a learner for as long as he or she draws a breath. God help those who shut themselves off to further knowledge. It is a shallow life they lead, and folks like that have my total sympathy.
As someone who is always eager to learn more about the world, I so appreciate folks who post about obscure information, or perhaps obscure to me, only because I’d never heard it before. An example of that is the “fractals” discussion that happened on the Quilt Art list, months ago. If I put my mind to it, I could easily think of many other examples.
With those statements as a backdrop, I’ll share with you the astounding (intended) insult I received within the last couple of weeks. I’m still reeling from the absurdity of someone calling me a “know-it-all.” As a constant learner, I know a lot, but so do many other people who also engage in educational activities on a regular basis.
The trouble with name calling is when the person under attack begins to believe an allegation. I didn’t comply. There is so much more to learn about life, geography, the needlearts, and so many other things of interest to me, I shall never be able “to know it all.”
That, my friend, is a blessing, because it means that there shall always be new discoveries to make. I count the internet as one of my greatest blessings. Through its powers, I can touch lives, share information, and yes, probably tick off a few disgruntled souls. I’m doing my best. That is all anyone can ask of me.
Patricia Cummings
