Why Bother?

Every now and then some one will ask, "Why do you even bother to knit when you've got so much else to do?" (These people are obviously non-knitters.) And there are assorted opinions about knitters.

Such as the one expressed on my coffee mug...

 And the opposite sentiment written on my favorite note card...

And the truth has little to do with the brain. It has more to do with the heart. I do it because on a crazy week like this one, it soothes me. My hands find a rhythm with the yarn and needles. It sometimes is like fidgeting when you're nervous, but with a product at the end. The more challenging patterns are like Sudoku and crossword puzzles. I'm looking for a pattern within a pattern as I try to understand the instructions. Helps clear away the mental cobwebs. And there is a pure pleasure as the softest yarns pass between my fingers.

I knit because when I give a new project away, it's like a giving a knitted hug. A scarf, a shawl, a baby blanket, a cap or a pair of socks---they are a way for me to give some love made of yarn. Now, I know the recipients don't always know this. But that doesn't matter. I know.

So right now for a hour or so--between visiting at the hospital and going to a doctor appointment--I'm going to sit still on my porch, enjoy the scent of the gardenias that bloom beside me, feel the cool breeze, listen to the birds, offer up a prayer, and knit a little more love.