Writing. Sewing. I am not sure which I like to do more, but what I do know is that I don't take enough time in my life to do either to the degree I desire. Years ago before I graduated from high school members of the senior class were asked to fill out a questionnaire asking inane things like favorite foods, TV shows, favorite hang-outs, etc. The purpose of such questions was to formulate some sort of senior book which would inform us who had the prettiest eyes, nicest hair, etc. At the time it seemed like just another ploy of the popular kids to add to their already inflated egos--or their serious lack of self-confidence--I am not sure which. At our 20 year class reunion these forms were given back to us for our entertainment, I presume, but I am certain there were those among us who felt that at the age of 38 we had fallen far short of our lofty goals in life.
My loftiest goal at the time was "to write a best-seller"--something I am always working on, and am certain that it will one happen one day--perhaps these humble musings will be a part of that.
What was interesting to me though, was how some of my "favorite" things had not changed over the past 20 years (now more than 30!) I still love homemade raviolis, though I haven't eaten any really good ones since I moved from Michigan's upper peninsula and those descendants of Italian immigrants who really know how to make delicious pasta dishes--I have to admit though, my dear departed mother-in-law, who was 100% Polish was one of the best "Italian" cooks I've ever known (that's what happens when you marry a man who is 100% Italian, you learn to cook like one.) My favorite type of music back in 1976 was "rock" which if by this I meant 70's rock, then I guess that would now be "alternative" which is now my favorite type of music. My favorite beverage was water, though I am surprised I didn't write "tequila sunrise"--(Note to my children who might be reading this: the legal drinking age was 18, and so was I when this was written.) My favorite hobbies and activities were photography, sewing and dramatics.
The reason I write about this is because today I was looking through my bookshelf, trying to decide what I would like to give away as I am trying to downsize just about everything in my life right now. I came across a book about marketing craft items and the author wrote in the preface how much she loved to sew, how even the mundane task of sewing a button on her husband's coat brought her peace, clarity and a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Interestingly, this afternoon my son invited me to lunch--for which he paid--in the hopes that I would hem a pair of pants for him. I probably would have done it anyway, but it is nice to feel appreciated. It took me less than a half hour to accomplish this task, but I absolutely relished the time and also amazed myself with my mad skills--a fact he concurred when he came to pick them up and asked me if I had hemmed them or not. Apparently he did not notice that the thread I used wasn't exactly the same shade, but the stitching and the hem depth was as good or better than the original (and this was no cheap pair of pants.)
Every time I am in the trailer behind our warehouse that serves as our home, I am in what I guess psychologists would call my "happy place." Sitting at a computer at 11:49 at night doesn't give me quite the same sense of absolute contentment. One seems like play, the other often like work, and yet work is good for the soul as well. One creates something new out of something else, the other, something out of nothing. One is the world of materials; the other ideas--though I suppose these elements are juxtaposed in the creative process so that it is difficult to say exactly what is produced. To take a length of fabric and stitch them together into an article of clothing is not necessarily unlike taking words and weaving them into coherent sentences. Both create a beautiful tapestry that reflects both the materials from which it is made and the skills of the one who created it. Both are endlessly challenging, and two of my favorite things.
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