Holding hands

Hands are meant to be held. I can tell this by the way fingers intertwine so perfectly. We are meant to hold each other's hands.  How easy it is when you hold someones hand to swing your arms and show a bit of spirit. Togetherness. For we are not here alone, we are here with many. One spirit lights the flame of another spirit. And that is why we gather. We gather to share our spirits. To feel the company and joy

The last couple of days I decided to just go hook at a few local rug hooking and fibre arts groups and that is what I felt at them. I felt the strength that comes with connection. Last Sunday morning I woke up feeling a bit out of sorts. Happy enough to met the day but at odd ends. I knew if I stayed home alone and hooked I would be antsy. Instead I drove about an hour just to be with a few other makers at Sisterhood fibres. And it was just enough, just what I needed. I hooked two tiny rugs while I was there on hoop and I felt really good about it. So when I woke up this morning I remembered that the rug hooking group in Northport meets on Mondays and off I went. I made myself a lunch and headed out again. And again it was just what I needed. 

I just needed to gather, to be in a group, to be hooking my rug, just doing that thing I love for no other reason than to do it. And it turns out the little rugs I made, well I loved them, all four of them. It was like there was a flow of creativity that I tapped into being with all those people who love making things. I mostly hook at my studio but these past few days have been lovely, and one day soon I'll take another road trip and hold hands with some other group.

As much as I like to sit alone and hook I really enjoyed being in a group with a warm friendly feeling and very little expected of you other than to make your rug. One where the person sitting next to you understood just how much you love what you are doing. Rug hooking, though more popular, now remains a somewhat misunderstood craft. After years and years at this some people still ask me how I am doing with my quilts. In these rooms everyone knew the difference. You were surrounded by a crowd who got you, who understood you, and knew that to hook was quite heavenly. So in a way we were all holding hands.