Charlotte Callahan married a soldier from the USA stationed in her native Germany and moved to Columbus, Ohio in 1948. Her quilt tells the story of leaving Munich and arriving in Columbus. It was her grandmother Reuter who told her when having to take the decision of leaving or staying: "Listen to your heart and travel across, or you will be sorry for the rest of your life."
The two lands lie on either side of the ocean, which is protected by an angel hovering over the steamship carrying her. The Europe she left is symbolised by the German flag, Munich cathedral with a heart inside, and three of her beloved family: father, mother and brother. The USA is represented by the Ohio Star quilt, the state of Ohio with a heart inside, and 11 people: herself, her husband and their nine children.
The entwined gold wedding rings in the ocean and the two hearts bind together her homelands. The leaves stand for her love of nature and the dates in the banner denote when she arrived and when she made the quilt. | 
