I'm teaching myself to knit. It's requiring a lot of patience and a hefty dose of humility. Right when I get into a rhythm, and what I'm knitting actually starts to look like something, I drop a stitch, or twist something up. So I end up with random holes and wonky stitches. After a while, I decide I want to try again, and I unravel the whole thing. With the aspiration to get it right this time, I cast on again... And so it goes.
The life lesson here has not escaped me; I see the metaphor. At 35 years old, I finally feel like I'm having to grow up. Real life things are happening to and around me now. Life & death stuff. Safety & security stuff. Learning to balance these responsibilities is a lot like learning to knit. I don't always get it right. There are gaps in judgement. There are twists of fate. And my rhythms get broken again and again.
So I'm focusing on taking it one stitch - and one moment - at a time. Both knitting and this grown-up life.
6 comments:
Well put. A lovely post.
And for me, anyway, knitting seems to take my mind off my troubles, even if only temporarily. It's the closest I get to meditation these days.
Nice post. Age age 32, knitting is something that I have promised myself I will learn soon. I can see the correlation between life stuff and knitting that you speak of in your post:) Indeed, well put.
Much Peace.
One of my most treasured posessions is a blanket that my mom knitted when she was pregnant with one of us kids for my Aunt Stella. It allows me to touch every strand and know that her fingers made it come together and touched it so many years ago. In fact, with the random holes and every-so-often misstiches it gives it more character and reminds me of how homemade it is. I never knew my mom had knitted the blanket until years after she passed when Aunt Stella handed me this treasure. What an incredible gift you are making yourself and your children regardless of what your knitting turns out - and where it ends up - you never know how special it may be some day. A labor of love that will continue to give years from now.
Love this post -- I want to learn to knit! I've been googling it - wondering if I can teach myself .... :)
At age 32, I've just learned to knit. It brings such peace to my heart and soul and reflections of how it reflects to life - all very simliar things to this very well written post of your's. Enjoy and Namaste!
BTW.... www.knittinghelp.com was a blessing for me when I first started learning (and I am still, currently, very much a beginner)
Funny, I've picked up the needles again too these last two weeks. There is something some mindful about it, so be here now as Rose would say...it is the perfect meditation for the hands.
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