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This I Believe: I Believe in Thread

Frankie Kulavic midshot
Beatrice Bonner
/
NPR Illinois 91.9 UIS
Frankie Kulavic - Springfield High School

A small, fragile piece of thread is what I believe. A piece of thread that is often overlooked. I believe in a piece of thread that has been intertwined in my life for a multitude of years. From using it in my kindergarten art class to using it to hang a German project my sophomore year of high school. From stitching on my very first merit badge on my sash to stitching my Eagle Scout badge on my scout uniform, I deeply understand the importance of a simple, thin piece of thread in my life. It was not until recently that I understood the importance of thread in my life. 

In the blink of an eye, my whole life changed. The whole world changed. In person school switched to online classes, I was live streaming a church with empty seats, I couldn’t see any of my friends, and I found myself trapped inside four walls. The four walls I once called home, magically turned into a pseudo prison, yet the thread was still there. 

I remember the first time since the pandemic that I was able to attend a youth group, a physical thread appeared. As we passed a piece of blue thread, we were told to say our hopes and goals. By the time the thread made it around the circle, one could see the thread pulled tightly, touching everyone present. We were reminded that we are all in life together, by holding on to a single piece of thread. That we do not need to be rope to be connected; a single thread can do that. 

I am reminded of the phrase, “holding on by a thread,” as I write this essay. I always thought the phrase referenced when one's life is falling apart and he or she is alone barely hanging on. However, I stand mistaken. I believe this statement means that we are all in this together, even when life seems fragile, that piece of thread being held onto will never break. 

Thread is a source of understanding for my life. I understand that every decision I make, I know that I am not alone, as I will always be holding on by a thread. I believe in a fragile piece of thread to influence my decisions when I face problems and many unknowns. I believe in a simple piece of thread to be a metaphor for life. I believe in a piece of thread that is holding me together.

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