This autumn has been and continues to be…interesting. In the classic, “May you live in interesting times” kind of way, for all of us. I’m writing this on Election day, where all of us here in the US are trying to hang onto the hope of something better, something sane. What we will actually get? There are so many possibilities, not all of them comforting. So what do you do?…
You hang on to all the good things you can. You eat Halloween candy, visit with friends, check in on far away loved ones. You do the needful things that keep the days going, no matter what else fills them. You vote. You wear a damn mask and wash your hands and try to stay safe. You try like crazy to sleep. You remember all the people who can’t be with you, and you miss them. You take your temperature and inventory any new blips in your health or the health of a loved one. You make crazy little pumpkins for the neighbor kids. You try not to let the news scare you more than it has to. You try to prepare for the worst, and try not to think about how bad that worst can actually be. You carry on…
In my case, I keep making things to help calm my worrier, anxiety filled brain. It helps to open the door to this soft, dark, quiet world full of odd embroideries and paintings, knitted things and yarn waiting to be touched. It gratifies me that so many of you want to share that world with me. We all want that comfort and love, that bit of unearthly oddity and funny things and practical goodness. And I find you all to be very good company in everything we’ve gone through so far. We all deserve medals. Big, shiny medals with sayings like, “Wore a Mask” or “Adulted My Guts Out” or “Gave a Crap About Others”.
Whatever comes, we’re still here together. Hang onto that when things get weird. And I will too…