It's all about perspective

Learning patience through the medium of yarn

Things are a little cooler this week here in the UK, thankfully and normal brain service has resumed somewhat. Well, I say normal. It’s all relative these days I think - what with menopause, lack of sleep and general life stress I’m no longer certain about what constitutes ‘normal’. For myself or anyone else.

The more I think about it the more I think that it’s all a matter of perspective - of trying to understand where we are in relation to everything that’s going on around us. And also to try and see things from other peoples perspectives before leaping to judgements.

Someone who mentored me a long time ago gave me this little line to ponder on one day when I was expressing impatience with a long wait (impatient - me?? surely not 😉).

🌿 What if everyone you meet is just doing their best 🌿

I’m not going to lie. My first thought on hearing this was to roll my eyes and think '“Well, heaven help us”. “No”, she said smiling gently, “I mean it. What if they really are doing their best”.

Well, that put a different perspective on things I have to say and it really did make me stop and think. Whenever we see someone else’s situation whether it be online or in real life we are only seeing a tiny fraction of what brought them to that point.

I touched on this issue earlier in the week when I wrote about how knitting (along with other handcrafts) give you a sense of agency and accomplishment. And I think also they give you a crucial sense of perspective.

Reminding yourself how to make something, with your own hands is a valuable exercise in not taking things for granted. Yes, we can make our own bread from scratch. We also have the luxury of being able to pop to the supermarket and pick up a loaf. Depending on where you are in the world and your personal situation having the time, the leisure and the facilities to make your own bread is the real luxury. For others, it’s being able to buy it.

And I guess the same is true for handknits too.

What’s making me smile this week -

☀️ After following her for years and implementing some of her tips I have finally bought Clean & Green by Nancy Birtwhistle. I love the idea of white vinegar as a cleaner but the smell always puts me off. She has a recipe for lemon-infused vinegar though which she promises will clean without the tell tale acetic acid tang on the nostrils - I’m keen to give it a go.

☀️ Plastic free July. I swear it comes around quicker every year. This year I have joined Jen Gale’s Sustainable-ish community in hopes of picking up more tips and tricks. My aim for the month is to not buy any plastic packaged snacks or drinks outside the home. I did really well at this last year and then kind of tailed off - so I’m keen to try and keep it going longer.

☀️ This tip by Donna Ashworth for letting something go - here

☀️ Hat tip to wyrdknitting on Threads for sharing this fabulous new shawl design. Named Light Drizzle - it’s worth knitting it for the cooling name alone 🤣

☀️ Coffee knitting in the early morning sunshine. I normally avoid the heat of the day but I had the chance for an 8am cuppa the other morning in a fancy, street-side cafe. A bit of knitting, a bit of journaling and a lot of city people-watching and I was definitely in my happy place.

I hope you have a lovely weekend and find your happy place too.