I have mentioned that my hands will no longer support any degree of hand stitching. I've been doing less of that for a few years now, and I can see a real deterioration in my skill with a needle. Needle work has been a major part of my life for almost 60 years, but within the last couple of weeks, I've had to face the end of using a needle in my hand. This has been coming for over twenty years, but I never thought it would actually arrive. There have been a couple of times in the past, when I've faced a major transition in my life. One that springs to mind is the day I had to surrender my professional license and retire for good, another was the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child. Not necessarily sad times, but definitely times of change and adaptation.
As I did then, I did today. A formal ceremony of doing away with the old life and taking a look at the new. With my retirement, it was a matter of shredding all of my notes and papers ( even the old Roladex) pertaining to my professional life, and taking all of my test books and professional books to a thrift store. ( I did keep a couple of professional journals in which I was cited or published) Today, I sorted through all of my fibre art related magazines, and literally threw out most of those that related to hand stitching. Embroidery Canada is gone. Needle Pulling Thread is gone. My recycle bin is full. I have empty shelf space to fill with new interests.
As in the past, I find that I'm not sad, but rather relieved, as though a weight has been lifted. It actually feels good.
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1 comment:
Yes it is very difficult to give up something you love, and are very good at. In my case it was the horses.
But...your burgeoning skill with your sewing machine might (read 'almost has')surpassed your skill with a needle.
Love ya,
Dianne
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