A blanket sooooo loved.........

The other day while I was working at the quilt shop a young girl and a young man came into the shop. Observing them walking in the door I could tell they had never been in a quilt shop before. She approached me and asked if we fixed blankets. I smiled and told her no, we don't fix them but I could sell her everything she needed to make a new quilt !...
She looked so disappointed that I had to ask her more questions...... Did she mean a large quilt ?....or what exactly did she need fixed. She told me she had a "blanket" that she has had for 19 years and it has a couple holes in it...and she was afraid to wash it, for fear it would fall apart.
Just looking at this girl I was thinking that I bet she is a college student far from home and she had a special little blanket that means alot to her. If this young girl had the courage to come in and ask a perfect stranger for help....I just had to see if I could help her. I told her to stop by and bring the blanket and I would see if there was something I could do.... She said she would go get it right now !
When she returned......she was holding this little faded baby blanket....that had been so well loved !.... I explained to her that I would try to fix it....but it would not make it brand new again... and she understood. So...I told her to pick out and buy some flannel and I would see what I could do...... A co-worker suggested that she put it in a "Memory Box".....but she hung onto it even tighter.... and she said maybe she could in a couple years, but not right now.
Hmmmmm......how was I going to help this special little blanket ?
I had to try..... For a young girl who asked for help from strangers.....this had to be a very special little quilt. And yes, in talking to her, she is here going to college...home was many miles away....and she needed her blanket. ( I understand about "big girls" needing those special blankets......my daughter who is 34 years old TODAY...still keeps her special blanket close by. )
I cut patches...did some sewing.....some applique.....re-sewed.....tried the best I could to patch up the worn spots and still maintain the integrity of this little quilt.
The next day I called her to tell her I had it ready....... When she saw her quilt she was so excited to see the holes were patched and to see it will survive many more washings and it will be with her through her college years. She wanted to pay me for fixing it for her.....but her smile and a big hug from this young lady was more than enough payment... Who knows...maybe she will want to learn to sew a quilt one day........I sure hope so !!