Amid all the stress and uncertainty of the current times, my family is trying to find balance and normalcy in an extraordinary situation. We are slowing down and enjoying the moments of togetherness. It isn't easy. My son and I are accustomed to frequently playing with friends, exploring new places, and meeting new people and suddenly all of this has changed. Still, some things are the same: we read a lot of books, pretend, play outside, garden, and cook together.
In between work and household chores, my husband and I are trying to support each other. We take turns keeping an eye on our son so that we can each have a few moments to collect our thoughts and recharge. I get up early to have some solitude before the day starts. That's the best time for me to work on my knitting projects. It's quiet and I can listen to my book without interruption. The familiarity and repetition of the motions are calming. I've read that knitting can be a meditation of sorts and I suppose it is; it is mindful and soothing.
I have been knitting, or more accurately trying to knit, my entry for the local yarn shop's annual shawl contest, the Shawl Crawl. Shawls may be of any size or shape and either knit or crocheted. This will be the third year I'm entering one of my knitting creations. The first year I received the fourth prize with Hypatia, a half-circle shawlette named after a woman mathematician from ancient Alexandria. It features bold geometric shapes and uses the principles of pi for its construction. Last year I was inspired by the creations of Elizabeth Zimmerman and decided to conquer my first circle or pi shawl, Garden Path. I enjoyed planning how each stitch pattern fits into the ever-increasing stitch and row count. For this year's shawl, I've settled on stitch patterns, the size and shape of the shawl, and worked out the math, but something isn't quite right. I keep having to pull out my pattern to make corrections. It is frustrating, but I'll continue knitting one stitch at a time.
We will all continue stitch by stitch and day by day to create a new normal, because what else can we do? We can choose to wallow in our frustration at what we cannot control or we can choose to find ways to cope.....like knitting of course.
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