10/16/2022
One Stitch at a Time
The autumn has arrived, the air is cooler and the trees are in glorious color. Which are all indicators that the earth is continuing to turn on its axis, that there will be no place to park in our little college town and that we’ve entered the season of squash soup, and the sound of knitting needles by the fire.
There are many things I love about knitting, but I think one of the things I especially appreciate is that it can only be done one stitch at a time and that there is no way to rush a handknit sock. I also like that I rarely keep what I knit and so while I am knitting, I’m often thinking fondly of the person for which the piece is intended. Every stitch is imbued with prayers of gratitude and good intention. Every sock, glove, scarf, baby blanket or funky hat, is made slowly, as only things can be made with two sticks and a skein of yarn.
I don’t always live with change and reaching goals with patience. There is a part of me that wants to fix what’s wrong, stop what hurts, gather the apples before i’ve pruned the trees. Knitting has become a mindfulness practice reminding me to slow down, to lean into the beautiful but not yet, to simply “be” with the sensual pleasure of really good yarn moving through my fingers.
I remember my first knitting teacher. There were a collection of women and men around a table, knitting away on our first project. After a while she abruptly told us all to stop. When we looked up for instruction, she told us all to lay our knitting down on the table and to gently smooth it out and admire our work. She invited us to notice the emerging pattern and texture, to love the color we’d chosen, to think fondly of person who might receive the gift of this piece. She encouraged us to love and admire what can only happen one knit or purl stitch at a time. She said the world is all about end product, but so much of our lives are in process. Take time to admire how far you come, rest in the beauty of what you’re currently creating. Stop often, take stock, Remind yourself of what you love. We all grinned a little and then with great satisfaction, we all ran our hands over the even (or not so even) stitches. To this day, I love to stop often and admire with great joy what I’ve been knitting,
I think that teacher could have been the Buddha in disguise if only the Buddha had knitted.
Anyway…So todayI want to encourage everyone to put down whatever ongoing project you are working on, whatever you are doing that can only happen one step or stitch at a time. I want to encourage you to stop and take stock, admire how far you’ve come, and how much love you’ve put into your life. There are so many variations to what we each create and are continuing to create. You may be harvesting the last of the fall garden, planting bulbs for spring. You may be engaged in the unfolding and creative work of being a nurturing friend, sibling, parent or grandparent. You may be moving inch by inch toward greater forgiveness or healing an old wound needs so much tender care. You may be continuing to work for an important goal or cause that will take more than your one lifetime to achieve. You may be learning to play a new instrument or unlearning an old story. You might be sewing a quilt or peeling carrots for vegetable soup which can only happen one pull of the peeler at a time.
Try this with me…. Lay your open palm upon your heart and say, “Yes to what can only happen with time and love.” Breathe in deep the beauty of what is in process, even when some of it is hard. Breathe out gratitude for all the stitches already knitted and all stitches yet to come.
Question - What might it feel like to stop and "admire your work" to feel the power of all the love you've put into things that can only happen one stitch at a time?
(NOTE, I posted an audio version. if you would like to hear me read this post aloud you can find it at this link. www.carrienewcomer.substack.com
