Here is my tile for the Diva’s Challenge this week. I used the tangle patterns Onamato, Snail, and Satsu. They represent beads for the Diva’s son who lives with chronic health problems. Here is her definition of Beads of Courage. She does this challenge once a year in conjunction with a fundraising Color Fun Run she organizes.

Beads of Courage is an arts in medicine program that helps kids with chronic or life threatening illness tell the story of their medical journey.  Each bead represents something different.  A different procedure or appointment, or special circumstance.  For example, when seeing a doctor or getting a poke instead of getting a sticker when they leave, they are given a glass bead for each thing.  (blue for doctor, black for poke… some other beads are yellow=night in the hospital, pink=respiratory support, magenta=trip to emergent care, teal=tube insertion or removal, rainbow=therapy; physical, speech, occupational, respiratory) and every child’s string is different and unique to their story.

Art is so therapeutic for me in so many ways. Laura’s story is one of the great examples of the power of art. She and her son are surrounded by love and support. That is why I used a heart as the string for my tile. I kept a nice peaceful, clear space in the middle for healing and surrounded it with beads for the courage of Laura and her son.

I’m also including a picture of my cat because he is hilarious. Here he is curled up with the book my husband is reading. I’m not sure anyone else could sleep on Guns, Germs, and Steel, but sometimes when I have insomnia my husband will read it to me to help me fall asleep.