Focus On Joy Today
Is it impossible to focus on joy without having to at least consider the opposite. Possibly, but joy is still my focus today.
Grateful To Focus On Joy
Sometimes it feels like joy was stolen from us 22 years ago today. But I’ll never forget what a 10 year old taught me years ago. It was something I already knew, but she said it so succinctly and so beautifully. My sister and I used to teach 5th grade CCD (Sunday school for Catholics) and our lesson plan for the day was about “God’s will.” One of the kids in our class asked how if God’s will was so great, why would he kill a 21 year old friend of her sister? Her sister’s friend had died of a heart condition.
I’m sure many a priest, minister and even parent has had to answer this kind of question all the time. As co-teachers in this class, my sister and I looked at each other to decide on who would answer this theological conundrum of how can a God create such pain and suffering. We both knew the answer. But we didn’t have to answer the question. One of the other students in the class, raised her hand and quietly said, “I think I know.” She said, “It’s kind of like, if nothing bad ever happened, we wouldn’t know how to recognize the good things.”
It was so simply and beautifully put and I am moved to this day at the wisdom of this 10-year old.
Three Things For Which I’m Extremely Joyful
- My niece Kelly was born on September 11th and she’s quite amazing. This past year, she became a mother for the first time and it turns out that she’s also an extraordinary mother. It’s so fantastic to see how fantastic she’s turned out.
- Next week, I head back up to Easton Mountain to be with one of the most awesome group of guys you can imagine. The NorthEast Men’s Fall Knitting Retreat is next week and I couldn’t be more thrilled.
- Finally, I’m coming off a wonderful time this past weekend at the Garden State Sheep Breeders Festival. I got to see Frank from Echo Valley Farms (a local sheep farm) who will also be at the retreat next week. And I also got to meet Dan and Chris from Gnomespun Fibers. I’ll just leave you with a photo gallery of some of the things I saw and some of the things I brought home with me.
Current Knitting/Crocheting
Got really bored with some much simple crochet that I was glad for a distraction.
I got a total of one color stripe finished on the first sleeve of the shirt.
Then fortunately, Jamie published his Ammo Jockstrap and let me be distracted with a fun knit.
I have a bit of waistband and straps to knit, but it’s enjoyable.
On what joy are you focusing today?
That I just tested negative for CoVID after a nasty week and that my dear friends who are moving far far away have put off their leave date so now I will actually get to spend a bit of time with them before they go! Also very grateful to be getting back into my fiber studio and warping my new used Mighty Wolf that I got months and months ago but haven’t been able to try yet due to puppy and moving. I’m pretty discouraged about the ongoing pandemic and the terrifying actions of the far right wing of American politics, but I think it’s time to try to focus on what good I can do and accept that although it may feel minuscule I may as well try to add more positivity than negativity to the mix.
The joy you influenced this morning, Joe, is to remind me what an amazing designer Jamie McCanless is. Today’s joy led me to purchase a few of his patterns on Ravelry. Perhaps you’ll model the completed jockstrap for us? Doesn’t hurt to ask, he said smiling.
Great post. Thank you.
Joy! Our first house guest in the new place was here over the weekend. We gave away our roll-a-way bed in the move, alas, so Dee filled the living room with his huge blow up mattress.
Dee is a sometimes knitter but he was excited to visit local used record stores. He looked for treasures and I knit.
No yarn stores, but Dee also loves ice cream! We hit Arethusa Farm Dairy in New Haven. Wonderful to see him!.
Best wishes for a super, fantastic time at the Men’s Retreat. Very thrilled for you all and look forward to hearing about it.