Today is the 28th. I’m taking advantage of a quiet Saturday to write this month’s blog post. I’m settled in my comfy chair, in my comfy office, with a hot matcha latte, and a snoozing dog at my feet, ready to write this post. Almost daily, I look around and am in awe of the life I get to live. I’m turning 47 this year. My youngest just turned 16. Life wasn’t always this way, and I wasn’t always as content as I am now.
I have struggled to get to where I am today. Money was a huge stress, but it wasn’t the only one. Part of me wishes I could go back in time to reassure my younger self that things would get better. Then, even as I write that, I have to acknowledge while things are better personally for me, it’s not true for everyone.
It’s impossible for me to enjoy this moment without recognizing the realities of this current moment in time. Here I am, enjoying a latte while my country says we negotiate with bombs when discussing the current war with Iran. This plus also recognizing how unaffordable things are for our kids. One bedroom apartments cost as much as my mortgage on a four bedroom home. Then there’s the absolute disaster of our healthcare system. I understand I’m not alone with my worries for the future. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and insignificant during times like this. I’m an empathic person and I struggle to understand how a giant segment of our population doesn’t care about their neighbors either in this country or on the planet.
Now, I’m going to share some things that help me. I try to celebrate the good things I see each day. I’m also voting not only in every election I’m able to, but with my dollars as well. When it feels like so much is out of our control, we get to make a decision each time we go to buy something. It took me longer than it should’ve, but it’s been months since I ordered anything directly from companies not aligned with my beliefs. On top of this, I’m trying to shop second hand more, while also trying to shop less in general.
There are also events you can attend, like the No Kings protest today. Or, if like me, the very idea of being in a crowd of strangers makes you want to hide in a blanket fort, donate. There are loads of organizations that could use funding. I personally support the ACLU. There are easy ways to donate right on their website.
Being creative, whether knitting, sewing, painting, or gardening, has been a huge comfort. Getting out of my house to spend time with family, or even play Mah Jong is anther way to unwind. None of these are new ideas, and neither is this one, but trying to add whimsy to my days also helps.
The 20th was the first day of spring. Where I live, our temperatures can vary wildly this time of year. Two days ago, we had the door to our screen porch open all day. The cats loved it. Today, when I went out with our dog Kiba, I needed my winter coat.
It is perfect inside weather. Now, I’m in my office, sitting in my Poäng chair, my feet up and resting on an ottoman. I’m using a cushioned lap desk as my desk. On the tv, I have a fireplace dvd playing, so it’s quiet save the sound of the recorded crackle of the fire. My candle warmer is on and the candle currently being warmed by it is called Red Fruits in the Forest.
There’s a bird feeder on a tall shepherd’s hook outside my window. The squirrels keep knocking it down, so I had to fashion a brace of sorts to it this morning with a hair tie. It seems to be working. Another thing I did this morning was finish (more or less) sewing my first dress. As is my habit, I winged it and quite pleased with it. My dear friend from Australia, would say I was chuffed with it. Either way, it’s not even lunch time today and I’ve already changed the sheets, got laundry going, sewed my dress, ordered bulbs to plant in the fall, fixed the bird feeder, watched an episode of a Chinese drama called Pursuit of Jade, and had breakfast.
As a creature of habit, I crave routines. I have a morning routine, an afternoon routine, and you guessed it, an evening routine. I have a weekly routine for household chores. I also have had the same breakfast and somewhat the same lunch for months. Change, while inevitable, is not something I enjoy. Still, change doesn’t scare me the way it used to. My theory is all of my routines make it easier to absorb change and be flexible if I need to be.
As a part of my evening routine, I knit. I’ve talked about knitting before, so some of this might be repetitive, but here we go. Knitting has done so much for my mental health while also allowing me to be creative, one stitch at a time. I read or heard somewhere that the act of knitting has similar benefits as meditation. It’s something to do with the repetition. Knitting, sewing, embroidery, crochet, and many other textile based skills are also known as fiber arts. There are masters of these arts and exhibits of their creations in museums all over the world.
For me, knitting allows me to multi-task. I struggle to concentrate and having something for my hands to be doing helps. This way, I can knit and watch a show, or listen to an audiobook, or sit with a group of people and have a conversation without losing focus. It also scratches an itch for me since I love learning. It’s also a buildable skill. To start, you learn to cast on, the term for starting your first row. Next, you learn the knit stitch, and then the purl stitch. With these three skills, you can make something like a scarf. Though, you’ll need to also learn how to cast off to finish the piece and get it off your needles.
From these basic steps, you can then learn how to make increases, or decreases. You can learn how to make cables or work with more than one color. In the picture above, I’m using a new to me, knitting skill by using double pointed knitting needles for the sleeve of my cardigan. Each skill mastered, will open the opportunity of learning another. If knitting doesn’t interest you, there are so many other things you can pick to learn. You could learn a language, memorizing a new word everyday, or every week if a slower pace makes sense for you.
Even though the days are going to be getter warmer and longer, I still intend to knit most evenings. I hope anyone who might be reading this post is also able to find comfort in an aspect of their day. It may be something as simple as lingering over a fresh cup of tea to enjoy the aroma as it steeps, or cliche as it is, stopping to smell the roses, or whatever early spring bloom you happen upon.
Until next month,
~ Carey