Reflections on the Names Project Quilt
James F. Taylor – World AIDS Day 2001
“Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes . . . . how do you measure the life of a woman or a man?”
These lyrics from the Broadway musical “Rent”, ponder a question that continues to haunt us twenty years into an epidemic that has bestowed the challenge of remembrance when we have lost so many lives. Each life, each individual is blessed with their own unique gifts to share with the family of mankind. There are so many dimensions of character, so many vivid personas, and so many stories to tell.
Over a decade ago, a small group of strangers found a
way to address this challenge; to find closure, gain acceptance and
understanding, and immortalize the memory of the souls who touched their
hearts. By reaching back into folk art tradition, their simple gesture of
placing names upon fabric has grown into the largest living memorial of its kind
– giving a human face to an otherwise dark and misunderstood condition called
AIDS.
Today, through the generosity of many, we have before us a segment of this commemorative achievement – The Names Project Memorial AIDS Quilt. At a time when we are overburdened with statistics and ever increasing complications from our medical progress, the Quilt continues to be the truest ambassador for education and raising awareness that we can hope for. It reaches out to all generations, especially the young, and strikingly portrays the tremendous loss to society while maintaining the honesty and dignity of the people it remembers.
I have been asked to share some feelings about the making of a panel; one that has returned home eight years after I had presented it to the Project. I am eternally grateful to Carla and the members of the committee for allowing me the opportunity to be with my friend once again.
His
panel rests in the lower right hand corner of the 12 x 12 section that hangs
here this evening, along with
several other Connecticut residents. The design
concept was simple and came quite easily. Patrick was a veritable tree of a man
and hence the tree of life theme – his life. Each branch holds a heart
that carries a symbol of his greatest loves. Atop the tree, stands an angel
rising from the flames bearing the rings that we wore to consecrate our union.
The panel was lovingly constructed by family members and friends over the course of several months. It is a tribute to a man that helped bring me back to my family and life here in Connecticut. As I view it today, I am filled with hope for myself and others that have continued to survive. It reminds me of the lessons I have learned and how to carry that knowledge into my present day life and relationships – Alex I hope you concur. The message is pure and simple: I was here, I was loved, and I will be remembered.
For those who create the various panels that make up this memorial, the Quilt is an outlet to express anger, sorrow, and ultimately love and respect for those whose lives were interrupted at the high point of their vitality and creative best. Each stitch, every piece of cloth intricately woven together, illustrates that we are all connected and responsible for one another. It demands that our leaders stand up and take notice that this is a plague on all humanity and no one is beyond its reach.
In light of the recent events of September 11th, the ideals and message of the Quilt gain an even more prominent seat in our collective consciousness - to honor and respect the lives of those who have gone before and with even greater conviction, strive to educate, heal, and understand that AIDS is everyone’s responsibility - for ourselves, our youth, and their future.
So I ask again, . . how do you measure a life ?
Simply . . . you . . . “ Measure in love, remember in love.”
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Surviving Partner, James F. Taylor
& his family