The Healing Power of Fiber

So, I'm kind of purring over here.

Seriously.

When Ana was a tiny baby, she had this little rhythmic song she sang when she was content. "Hum-hum. Hum-hum." I'd take her for a walk in the stroller and I could hear her singing to herself. Or I'd put her down for a nap and she'd hum to herself for a bit.

That's me right now.

Knit Night was... amazing.

I complained all the way over to my nice friend Sherrie. Life is hard. Kids are hard. Working out is hard. Being gimpy is hard. Marriage is hard. New York is hard. Driving (SHE was driving) is HARD.

I felt ill and out of sorts and worst of all, my cup was flat out EMPTY. Dry, I'm telling you. It was BAD. I can't remember the last time I felt so awful in my skin. Honestly, it was BAD.

And then we got there and were enveloped by the nicest, nicest knitters.

I endeavored to be entertaining even though, as I've said and y'all have not believed, I AM SHY. I told Jane stories --always a good fall-back to make people laugh --especially because the joke is always on me. I sweated a bit from nerves. I finished Lin's sock. (In fact, I might have gotten carried away and made it a bit too long. I'll try it on her tomorrow.)

And by gosh, I can't explain it, but suddenly, everything was okay. There was just something about being with this group of women --of whom I might have been the youngest at age 43 --that made everything sort of all right again. All these women, married a zillion years and having raised a zillion children and knitted a zillion freaking socks (or not, some people think socks are hard so they knit--hello--sweaters instead. Me? I QUAKE at the thought of sweaters but apparently, I can knit a sock in my spare time in two days.) All of them, so glad to be with other knitters.... so...just...well...

Well.

It was magical. It was healing. There was so much laughter that management sent someone over to ask us to pipe down.

God, I love that. May the last day of my life include so much laughter that it disturbs other people. May my tombstone say, "Hey, Barb, could you keep the laughter to a dull roar?"

Hum-hum.

Comments

I enjoyed Knit Night, too, though I still can't get over the name and the image of the many, many nights in several grades that I spent picking nits out of my kid's hair (word to the wise: use the hair-conditioner and comb-out method and FORGET ABOUT THE NITS). Now that that's off my chest: I really, really like all these yankees around here. They're nice as pie. It was great to go with you, Barb! You may be shy, but I can never think of anything to talk about!
Anonymous said…
Oh honey, I'm so pleased that you sound so much more like yourself. I told you - if you didn't take a little break, I was comin' over there to sit on you! We moms take on a lot and we can deal with a lot but every once in a while, and it doesn't take much - just a knit night or book club with wine and cheese we need to remember ourselves so that we can go back to dealing with all of our stuff again.

I'm so glad to hear you humming, again.
Ei said…
Ok, you've convinced me I need to learn how to knit. I can crochet, but you just can't get the same cool look, and obviously, there is some other magic...like the difference between cats & dogs, i suppose.

:) thanks for sharing the magic.
Miri said…
I second Ei's comment. Your post had me yearning to knit. Wonderful! Hurray! May your cup overflow with laughter and may you close down the knitting joint.

(You know, like "close the bar"? It doesn't really work as a sentence. But if you heard me, you'd know I meant well. Like, "party all night, you knittin' dynamo.")
Aaaarggh! Sherry! Why did you have to say that? I will never, ever be able to use the phrase "Knit Night" again. We've had a few too many of your variety, also.
knittergran said…
I'm so glad you found a knit-night. Honestly, mine keeps me sane!
DK said…
Awww, yay. That's how I felt about my old knitting crew, too. Maybe one of these Tuesdays I'll actually be able to go to the knit night here....I definitely need some non-medical friends down here...
Mrs.Q said…
Hum-hum!

I had a hard time making friends in Vancouver -till I started knitting...and boy, did that ever change things right quick! The nice thing is that when I'm feeling shy (and I totally believe you when you say you are, I'm the same way!) I don't have to say much while I'm knitting. Plus, I get socks out of the deal. Score!

Glad to hear that you made it out.
Unknown said…
There's just something about a group of women gathered for a positive purpose (and by choice, not like at work where they stab each other in the backs) that heals, huh?
Stefanie said…
Oooh I'm SO HAPPY for you!
Tiffany said…
You just brought back the most delightful moment. When I was working on my book, I was in a hotel room talking and laughing with three other women (all in our mid-thirties to mid-forties). Security came to the door and asked us to quiet down. We thought it was a joke. My friend Alice asked for proof that he worked for the hotel. When finally we figured out that we were REALLY getting busted for being too loud, we thought it was so funny that we got louder.

And then we found out that it was a group of EIGHTH GRADERS on a field trip who had complained about us.

But dude...I had no idea you did FITTINGS for socks.