The Olympians put together many hours of training for one moment or race. A quilter takes many pieces of fabric for one wall hanging or warm blanket. It takes a lot of glass beads to create a beaded curtain, and many years of one-day-at-a-time living equals a life well lived.

I love the challenge of taking the many to make one. I like mosaics, patchwork and transformation. As the daughter of a hoarder, I am very aware of too much — of collections and collecting. I prefer to take a lot of anything and with glue, fire or love create one “thing” instead of several.

Today, I am going to town to meet a woman who is famous for transforming the many into one. Héléne is a jeweller who comes highly recommend, and I am bringing her my mothers earring collection. I hope to share some ideas with Helene, then leave her with the many, so that she may create one pretty bauble.

Like Indra’s Net, I am excited to see how all the individual memories will shine when put together as one.