There are many days and times were this is the only mantra that I have going through my head. It certainly was last week. Concept called mindful knitting or crocheting.
I had stumbled onto this on my own a few years back but a friend recently pointed it out to me online, and a rabbit hole later I'd found a lot of information on it.
Why mindfulness is great?
Pretty simple actually.
You're are preventing events of that day/moment from draining you of energy you need for other things. You're removing the power an event or memory has over you, by focusing on the yarn and project in your hand.
We are all aware of the significance of last week (9/11). Being the passionate woman that I am (Yes, I heard that chortle) I decided for my sanity (what little of it that's left) would be better spent knitting or crocheting last week. As I had two personal anniversaries that make me cringe still that week, one of them being my first wreck ever at 26 (yes, I was pretty lucky to go that long, but there were a lot of things I could have done to avoid that wreck. No one was killed or badly injured, but it still bothers me a LOT).
And as we all know, 9/11 brings out the idiots of various conspiracy theories and just plain bullshit of people who can't seem to grasp the manner. I hate that entire bullshit. I repeat, HATE that bullshit. It's one of the disrespectful displays of arrogance, bubble syndrome and plain naivete. It spits on the graves of those who were lost when people quibble over what happened.
I still have the image seared into my head of them showing what used to be a dozen floors squashed into a space less than, if I recall correctly, four feet thick. I'm still stunned by the news from friends who lost folks, that they are still identifying remains even today.
Those two reasons are part of why I won't engage in the endless roundabouts of what happened. It's rude to the dead and disrespectful to the people who survived the events and the folks that the victims left behind. Then you have the repercussions of those events, that increased all who were affected. Which is a whole other kit and kaboodle of worms that need thrown on fishing hooks and drowned while sitting on the banks of a lake or river, while sipping cold beer and enjoying those who are with you.
So I put my headphones in or talked to my fiance or we went and watched the sunsets. I just kept stitching. Mindfulness extends to not just knitting or crocheting. You can apply it to washing dishes, walking dogs, reading books, sharpening tools, cleaning guns, sitting with a cup of coffee and just watching the sunrise or sunrise or a thunderstorm move, etc. It's healthy. It counter acts depression.
It lets you have a few moments of just you. Of sweet, lucid, calming sliver of time that is just you and the world. It lets you step back and reevaluate what's going on. Re-establishes your boundaries, your balance, your center. It takes the edge of this rape victim's PTSD flashbacks. It shortens them. Makes me lucid faster. Yeah, the project ends up a bit wet from crying (yeah, I just admitted that), but I'm out of it faster. It lets me work off the anger over careless from people who should know better and it let me work off the hatred over ignorant dipshits who don't know what the fuck it is they are talking about.
I've received a lot of criticism in the past year or so, over an increasing reluctance to commit to "pet causes." There's been a rash of "warm fuzzy" causes, that you do for less than a minute and you get to brag you did for a couple of days and then what? That was shallow, fleeting and you're back at square one with...well, I can't classify what for you as I'm not you. And yes, this me criticizing several things all lumped together.
When you decide to champion a cause, you need to do it every day, even if it's just for a few minutes of sharing relevant information or laying out plans for the next event, etc. You need to actually champion it. You need to wear it like a tattoo.
So in response to a rather snide cunt, who may or may not be female, I'll listing out my causes again for all to see. I don't really care if they are you "flavor" nor do I give a flying fuck if they align with your politics. These are my babies, that I want to help as much as I am able to help. Many times, all I can do is help spread the word they exist but at least I'm trying to stay consistent.
The Battle Buddy Foundation
Hats for Our Veterans
Right now, that's because I can't find the others or even remember which folders I have them bookmarked into. Hats is run by a sweet lady, and donates several dozen (I think this year they managed a couple hundred hats) to organizations that work with homeless vets. It's not much, but a warm hat, scarf and gloves is better than nothing, which is what I otherwise have.
For TBBF, it's sharing as frequently as I can and spreading the word.
So there. That's my ramblings for today. Now if you'll excuse me....*stitch stitch stitch stitch stitch...*
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