“We build things with string.” How’s that for a resume? I think however, we do so much more than that. We give of our time and talents to those who may never know how many hours it actually took to make that pair of socks or sweater. It doesn’t really matter, though. We are constantly paying it forward and ask for no applause.
Janet Bay, Jean Huff and Donna Higgins have knitted and crocheted more baby hats and adult slippers than i could keep track of. They continue to place them behind the glass doors of the case designated for charity knitting, entrusting me to see that they are gifted to those who are in need of a little comfort and cheer.
Often i am talking with a customer or doing other chores around the shop and may only give a nod or whisper “thanks”. They don’t care. They do these acts of kindness because it gives them pleasure to do for others.
Over the past few months we have lost three of our own. Just last week Shirley Hiner (Lori Vogt’s mother) passed. Shirley was often seen at the cottage with a group of ladies who met on Monday’s to knit together until she was diagnosed with cancer. Both Nancy Adams and Barb Lee (better known as “Aunt Jo”), avid knitters who shared their lives with us at the cottage have passed away in the past seven weeks. Honestly, it’s alot to take in. It’s tough to see these families suffer losses and it’s sad for us who have lost friends.
So we do what we do to help one another through life’s sad times and try to comfort one another with what we do best.
I have seen countless folks gather to knit prayer shawls and lap blankets for those who may just need a little “fiber hug” and a reminder that they are important to us, that they are not alone in the situation they are in. Life is kinda like the yarn we work with. Sometimes it gets tangled, sometimes we find a knot or even (gasp) it’s tied together! But really we know it’s OK…we do what we do because we care and we want to share a piece of ourselves with others.
That, my friends, warms my heart and blesses me daily.
