Through quilting, gardening—and writing—our story emerges and changes.

I have always had a heart for handmade. In most instances, creating something by hand requires attention, patience and dedication. Whether you’re piecing together a quilt or planting a garden and dreaming of its future maturity once you’ve put your hand (and head and heart) to a task you see the world differently.

That certainly is the case with this week’s cover story, which touches on some enormous topics — history, affluence, race, inclusion — all tied up in a confluence of creativity and the land. Seeing a collection of masterful quilts representing hundreds of hours of handwork displayed beneath a canopy of mature trees, some of them standing for nearly 100 years, my world grew larger.

I’m grateful for the chance I had to meet the talented women of Pacific Northwest African American Quilters, to look over their shoulders and marvel at their colorful fabrics and exquisite stiches (and the tiniest sewing machine I’ve ever seen!)

I got to spend time with the executive director of a public garden responsible for stewarding a historic landscape while exploring ways to create a more inclusive community and open the garden gate to offer a place of peace and refuge for everyone who needs it.

I got to dig into the history of this place we call home.

At its best, human touch infuses work (and play) with understanding, we become part of the story. And once we acknowledge our role in the story, we can shape what comes next.